Alleged Cameroonian baby killer may walk free

Cameroonian citizen, Alexander Forba, who was accused of using his 3-day-old baby as a weapon while fighting with the baby’s mother, could possibly not face a murder trial.

This is because the mother has gone missing and the three neighbours who were allegedly witnesses refused to testify.

Forba’s trial was to start in the high court in Pretoria on Monday, but not a single witness pitched. This is despite the three neighbours having been subpoenaed by the State. Forba’s partner and mother of the baby, Joans Akwa, has disappeared, Judge Eben Jordaan was told.

She moved from the couple’s flat - Nicholas Heights in Pretoria West - shortly after the baby was killed in February last year.

Neighbours told the investigating officer that they had no idea where she had gone.

Prosecutor Gerhard Maritz said all they have is a cell phone number for Akwa, but she does not answer her calls.

Maritz said the State cannot even summons the woman in an attempt to force her to come to court, as she has “vanished” and the document cannot be served on her.

The court’s hands are also tied, as it cannot arrest her because she was not officially summoned. “The State simply has no idea where she is,” Maritz said.

The court meanwhile ordered warrants of arrest for the three neighbours, who also now seemed to have disappeared.

The three, also Cameroonian citizens, refused to consult with the prosecution regarding the case.

Although they were earlier summoned to come to court, they are nowhere to be found.

The case is standing down until Thursday so that the investigating officer can try to trace them.

But it is understood that if they cannot be located, the State will be forced to withdraw charges due to a lack of evidence.

According to the indictment, Akwa woke up in the early hours of February 15 last year, when something hit her head.

She saw Forba holding their newborn baby girl, Precious, by the feet, with her head hanging down.

He asked Akwa who the father of the child was while hitting her with the baby.

Akwa ran to the neighbours, but Forba followed her and kept on hitting her with the baby.

It is claimed that the neighbours witnessed this. Akwa managed to get hold of the baby and ran away, but he followed her and took the baby from her. She was again assaulted with the baby.

Akwa fell to the ground, where she was kicked before Forba hurled the baby on the floor. The child later died in Kalafong Hospital of brain injuries.

The neighbours and mother of the baby said at the time they were shocked as Forba was a quiet and kind man.