'Witchcraft' behind EC murders
2010-09-03 11:01
Johannesburg - The motive behind the brutal killing of an Eastern Cape woman and her four grandchildren was witchcraft, the Dispatch Online reported on Friday.
Senior state prosecutor Mduduzi Mzila told the Ngqeleni Magistrate's Court on Thursday that the accused believed the grandmother was going to bewitch some youths in the village.
"They (the accused) discussed that there was a list where some youths in the village were going to be bewitched by the deceased.
"Some said to be on that list are on the bench today (Thursday). After the murders, they came together and (confirmed) that the murders had been committed," Mzila told the court this week.
Ten men, accused of the killing, were remanded in police custody and the case was postponed to September 21 for bail application.
Masilengenge Bambusiba, aged 85, her grandsons Lwazi, aged 17, Lwando, aged 10, and Vela Nogemane, aged 9, and 5-year-old granddaughter Ezile Nogemane were found dead at their home in Sigubudu village in Ngqeleni on August 22.
Police suspected a bush knife or a panga might have been used, but said no weapon was found on the scene.
- SAPA