Friday, July 12, 2024 - Seven people have been sentenced to life imprisonment in South Africa for burning two sisters to death after they were accused of witchcraft.
The High Court of South, Eastern Cape Division, Mthatha,
sitting in Ntabankulu, sentenced Lwandiso Mzaza (29), Lufefe Mzaza (28),
Zithini Rhayisa (34), Yamkela Nonjojo (31), Odwa Nonjojo (34), Anelisiwe
Nonjojo (32) and Mkhonzeni Ngcabangcosi (24) on Friday, July 12, 2024.
NPA Regional Spokesperson, Eastern Cape Division, Luxolo
Tyali, in a statement, said the court found them guilty of two counts of murder
and arson for which they were sentenced to two life terms and ten years,
respectively, ordered to run concurrently.
“The Mzazas and Nonjojo’s are biological brothers while all
the convicted persons are from the Ngonyama Administrative Area in the district
of EmaXesibeni (formerly Mount Ayliff), where the crimes were committed,” the
statement read.
“On 12 December 2018, the group of young people had two
meetings that were chaired by the older Mzaza brother, Lwandiso, where it was
decided that the deceased must be killed by burning them because they were
practising witchcraft
"They clubbed money and bought petrol to burn the
deceased, their houses, and their families. On the night of the same day,
Nothethisa Ntshamba was at her home with her husband, three children and her
sister, Ntombekhaya Ndlanya.
"When Nothethisa went out of the house, accompanying
her sister home, they were accosted by the group, assaulted, pelted with
stones, petrol poured on them and then set alight. The group then proceeded to
burn the Ntshamba homestead to ashes
"During the trial, all the accused pleaded not guilty
and put into question their identity as they claimed it was at night. Rhayisa,
who had confessed to the police attempted to distance herself from it,
necessitating a trial-within-a-trial. The court found the confession
admissible. The state further led the evidence of the eyewitnesses, some being
the children of the deceased
"Senior State Advocate Mbulelo Nyendwa submitted to the
court that violence against women accused of unfounded claims of practising
witchcraft was very prevalent not only in the Eastern Cape but in the country
at large.
"He added that the children of the deceased had not
only lost their mothers but had been displaced, fearing for their lives and
still carrying the stigma of being called the children of witches by some
members of the community.
"Judge Nozuko Mjali agreed and noted that no
self-respecting state can condone what the accused did, and they deserved to be
punished severely punished, as a society must be protected from people who do
not respect the law.
“This court alone has lost count of cases of this nature in
this Ntabankulu circuit alone,” she remarked.
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