Man kills brother, 4, for muti

2005-11-17 10:15

Pietermaritzburg - A 24-year-old man who was on Wednesday convicted of killing his four-year-old brother said one of his reasons for committing the gruesome crime was to make "muti" to help him win the lottery.

Khayelihle Alfred Dlamini, 24, of Imbali pleaded not guilty to the murder of Bongumusa Dlamini in May 2002.

He took his little brother from their mother's home to a place near a river in Mason's Mill.

There he struck Bongumusa several times with a brick, lit a fire, placed a tyre over the fire and when the tyre was alight he put the boy over it.

But before he burnt the body, he collected his brother's blood and either the brain or the brain fluid and put it in a container.

In his plea, Dlamini said he was unable to appreciate the difference between right and wrong at the time of the murder.

Family more fond of brother

He later testified that he was possessed by a tokoloshe.

Summing up, acting judge Logeshwaran Pillay said Dlamini told the court of possible motives for the killing.

He said he was unemployed at the time and needed money.

One of the reasons he killed his brother was that he believed the death would bring him money. He took Bongumusa's brain fluid, heated it and inhaled the fumes as he thought this would help him win the lottery.

But he also said he killed the little boy because his family were more fond of his brother than of him.

"It seems clear he felt grievances against his family, he attempted to bewitch them on more than one occasion," said Pillay.

Family believes in witchcraft

After weighing all the circumstances in the case and carefully assessing Dlamini's conduct at the time of the offence and during the trial, Pillay rejected his defence of mental illness.

Dlamini's lawyer Lulama Potwana called two witnesses to testify in mitigation of sentence.

Dlamini's father Samson told the court that he and his family have forgiven Dlamini for his actions. They reconciled because Dlamini repented.

Potwana, in asking the judge not to sentence Dlamini to life imprisonment, said the court should consider that Dlamini comes from a background that believes in witchcraft.

State advocate Boliswa Mhlana said his crime was very serious.

He initially asked the court to impose a life sentence but later conceded that a lesser sentence would be appropriate in the circumstances.

Sentencing takes place on Thursday.

- The Witness