Johannesburg – A man accused of killing a two-day-old baby by using her as a weapon to beat his girlfriend abandoned his bail application at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court, the Star reported on Thursday.

Alexander Forba, aged 32, was expected to appear for his bail application on Wednesday, but instead decided to withdraw his application. He faces a charge of murder and assault.

The case was moved from the Kgosi Mampuru II prison court to the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court last month.

His lawyer Bronwinn Marshall reportedly objected to the application made by media houses to have her client’s picture taken and published, but Magistrate Desmond Nair overruled it.

Forba allegedly came home in the early hours of Sunday in a drunken state and argued with the baby mother’s over the paternity of the child.

The court heard that he allegedly assaulted the mother, then followed her to a nearby filling station where he pulled the baby from the mother and used her as a weapon.

The baby was rushed to Kalafong Hospital but later died from her injuries.

The case has been postponed to 13 April for investigation.

Cape Town – Lieutenant Colonel Mike Barkhuizen says the first time he laid eyes on a girl at the centre of a 17-year-long kidnapping saga, he knew she was the baby kidnapped in 1997.

According to Netwerk24, Barkhuizen, who works for the Hawks, had been searching for the girl, now 17, for the past five years.

The results of the DNA tests were just a formality to him, he said. He knew instantly it was her after meeting her on the afternoon of 24 February.

For more http://www.news24.com

Cape Town Disaster Risk Management says the Muizenberg fire that broke out over the weekend is under control, and firefighters are dealing with hotspots in Clovelly and Constantia north.

“The crews remained through the night and this morning [Thursday] helicopters will go out and inspect the area but currently the fire is under control.”

For more http://www.news24.com