A 40-year-old woman from Umlazi is sentenced to 25 years in prison for the kidnapping and murder of five-year-old Simphiwe Ntobeko Xaba. According to the court, the offence follows an attempted extortion connected to the child’s abduction. The judge finds that the accused unlawfully took the child and later caused the child’s death. The sentencing is delivered after the prosecution presents evidence linking the accused to the kidnapping and murder, and the court determines that the charges are proven beyond reasonable doubt. In handing down the sentence, the judge stresses the importance of protecting communities from offenders who carry out similar violent crimes. The report describes the sentence as a term of imprisonment imposed by the court for the offences of kidnapping and murder, with the underlying circumstances involving an extortion attempt. The decision reflects the court’s assessment of the seriousness of the crime and the harm inflicted on the child and community.