Advertisement

Woman pleads guilty in South African court to trying to sell baby online

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - A mother pleaded guilty in a South African court on Monday to having tried to sell her baby on the Internet for 5,000 rand ($346), the online news service News24 said.

"I admit that my actions were wrongful, unlawful and intentional. I have no defense," the 20-year-old woman was quoted as saying by News24.

Police said the woman was arrested in October following a tip-off from a member of the public who said that a baby was being sold on the website Gumtree.

She was freed on bail and placed under house arrest. Sentencing will be carried out on Feb. 29 at the Magistrates Court in the eastern town of Pietermaritzburg.

(Reporting by Zandi Shabalala; Editing by Richard Balmforth)