Publications
A former member of the Overcomer’s Through Christ (OTC) group, which was led by one of the so-called Krugersdorp Killers, relayed some of her experiences in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
Convicted murderer Cecilia Steyn had infiltrated the group under the guise of needing deliverance from Satanism.
On Monday, Steyn and her co-accused were found guilty of 32 counts between them - including murder, fraud, racketeering, and robbery.
Melodie van Bakel and her eldest daughter were enrolled in a course led by Steyn, the mastermind behind the killings.
According to Van Bakel, there were fears that Satanism had raised its head in Krugersdorp and the that OTC had promised to assist the community to get rid of it.
"They showed us movies and they taught us about Satanic symbols," she said.
Van Bakel and her daughter left the group in 2009.
Steyn's co-accused Zak Valentine, 34, and Marcel Steyn, 21, were found guilty of charges linked to the crime spree, which took place in and around Krugersdorp.
Marcel's mother, former schoolteacher Marinda Steyn, is serving 11 life terms and 115 years in prison after pleading guilty.
The group, which called themselves Electus per Deus (Chosen by God), murdered 11 people between 2012 and 2016.
Read more here: The Krugersdorp killings explained: Who was murdered, how, and why
