Human head, body parts found in home of albino murder accused

Human head, body parts found in home of albino murder accused

Thokozani Msibi inside the Witbank Magistrate’s Court where he appeared for a formal bail application in connection with the kidnap and murder of two children. PHOTO: ANA

Police found a human head and other human body parts at the home of traditional healer Thokozani Msibi in Witbank in Mpumalanga last month before he was arrested in connection with the kidnapping and murder of two children, one of whom was an albino, the Witbank Magistrate’s Court heard on Tuesday

State prosecutor Fanie Mavundla told the court police found the parts at Empumelelweni section, where Msibi ran his healing business. Mavundla was opposing bail for Msibi who appeared with his co-accused Brilliant Mkhize. He said Msibi also showed the police a shallow grave in Cullinan, east of Pretoria, where the body of a 14-year-old girl with albinism, Gabisile Shabane, was found buried last month.

“Our witness said he was there when Gabisile was chopped off,” said Mavundla, which led to Gabisile’s mother Annah Shabane, who was sitting in the public gallery, sobbing loudly.

“That witness said he carried that girl on his back. The accused [Msibi] then went to a traditional healer in Swaziland and asked him to cleanse him of bad luck. He was going to pay that traditional healer with a vagina of a girl, but the traditional healer refused. That traditional healer is also a State witness.”

Gabisile and a 15-month-old boy, Nkosikhona Ngwenya, were kidnapped from their home in Hlalanikahle in Witbank on 28 January, allegedly by three men who entered their home after breaking a window. Nkosikhona’s body was found on the side of the N4 highway last month.

Mavundla told the court that the same State witness told the police that Gabisile’s body parts were chopped off by a Mr Gamede from Swaziland, who was allegedly with Msibi and others. He said some of the missing parts from Gabisile’s body were not found.

Msibi’s lawyer, Zamo Sibisi, earlier argued that his client was tortured and forced to make statements after he was arrested.

“The accused stated that whatever statements or pointing out [of crime scenes] he made was not done voluntarily,” said Sibisi.

Magistrate Darleen Venter denied Msibi bail and postponed the matter to 13 March so that Mkhize could get a legal representative.