POLICE have arrested a man in northern KwaZulu-Natal after he allegedly killed two children related to him.
The community of Madlankala, outside eSikhawini, has been left distraught after the bodies of the two cousins, Lindokuhle (9) and Nosiphiwa Msindo (3) , were found in a shallow grave in their own yard.
Police spokesperson Captain Thulani Zwane said the 35-year-old man was taken into custody at about 5 pm on Wednesday.
Lindokuhle’s mother, Nokulunga Msindo, told Zululand Fever that Nosiphiwa disappeared first.
“Nosiphiwa went to the toilet and didn’t return for some time and we started getting worried. We then decided to start searching for her. I left Lindokuhle and my sister’s baby with the accused and when we came back Lindokuhle was also nowhere to be found,” said Msindo with tears streaming down her face.
“When they asked where the boy was, the relative could not explain his disappearance and the police were called to intervene,” said Zwane.
“When I told Lindokuhle to stay with his relative, he begged me not to leave him. He was on his knees crying, ‘Mommy, please don’t go.’ I just left him and went out the gate and when I looked back, he was still crying.”
eSikhawini police searched the area but could not find the two children.
While the family went to the police station to formally open a missing persons’ case, Nosiphiwa’s father started searching the yard again. He noticed the newly dug up sand in a half-built rondavel.
The police were re-called and they discovered the children’s bodies, buried in a shallow grave. They also found blood stains and traditional medicine in a clay drinking bowl (ukhamba) in the suspect’s room.
The knife that was alleged to have been used in the killing of the two children was also discovered.
“The nine-year-old’s throat was slit and the three-year-old is alleged to have been strangled to death,” said the police.
“My son’s throat was slit like a chicken. When we asked [the suspect] about the whereabouts of Nosiphiwa he pretended that he didn’t know. We became suspicious when he kept on saying there was no electricity in his room, which was just a lie,” said Msindo.
The relative has been charged with murder and is expected to appear in the eSikhawini Magistrate’s Court soon.
