Court sentences 7 persons to life imprisonment for burning 2 sisters to death over witchcraft accusations

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, 12th July 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 Nonjojos 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 12th 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.

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“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.