The ex-wife of alleged child killer Mohydian Pangaker was the woman who delivered him to cops when he fled the city after kidnapping Tazne van Wyk.
The brave woman revealed at the Western Cape High Court yesterday how she fooled Pangaker into believing that she wanted to get back with him.
The witness, who may not be named, is the mother of the daughter who was allegedly raped and impregnated by Pangaker, for which he faces an incest charge.
Pangaker, 55, was arrested on 17 February 2020 in Cradock after going on the run while Tazne’s family frantically searched for her.
The eight-year-old meisie was snatched just metres away from her home in Claire Street on 7 February.
Her disappearance sparked widespread riots as angry mense searched for Pangaker and vowed to kill him.
Sitting calmly, the woman told the court that when she was visited by cops during the search, she quickly devised a plan to catch Pangaker.
“I listened to the call with Nazley (Pangaker’s twin sister) and then without them knowing, I phoned him and made stuff up. I told him I stole R8000 and that I was scared and that I slept at Cape Town Station and I wanted to be with him.”
She said cops realised she was on the call and rushed her to Cape Town station where she kept in contact with Pangaker, who told her to enquire whether there were long distance buses or taxis she could take.
She made arrangements to meet with him after he told her he was in Cradock and she made the long journey to the Eastern Cape with detectives.
The woman says cops booked a room for her at the Cradock Hotel and they stayed at another establishment across the road and kept watch.
She says after arriving on 17 February, she checked into the hotel and called Pangaker, who got a lift with a truck driver.
The woman explained that he arrived and asked for an entjie and she took his bags up to her hotel room.
Once inside, she called the police and went to watch at a window as cops surrounded the hotel and captured Pangaker.
Chuckles were heard in court when she revealed that she told cops to arrest her as well so Pangaker wouldn’t get suspicious.
“The police pretended to arrest me. I wasn’t in the cells, I was in the captain’s office. I saw him in the charge office and I was shocked when he just laughed.”
Questioned about whether she asked Pangaker about Tazne, she said she only asked him about what happened with her daughter whom he impregnated.