The Tshwane metro police have arrested a sangoma and two men after they were allegedly found digging up graves in search of human bones for muthi in Mabopane.
According to Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) on Friday, TMPD members received a complaint from security guards who were working the night shift at a graveyard about people who were digging up graves.
“The officers responded swiftly and rushed to the graveyard. Upon arrival they found three people inside the grave busy digging. When the three suspects were questioned, they could not account for what they were doing and where they got the permission to dig up the graves,” said the TMPD.
The department added that among the suspects arrested was a sangoma. “They were allegedly looking for dead people’s bones for muthi purposes.”
After being caught red-handed, the suspects tried to offer a bribe of R1500. “They were then arrested for violation of graveyard regulation, malicious damage to property and bribery.”
In a separate incident, two suspects, one of which is the boyfriend of the deceased and the other is a self-proclaimed-sangoma, were arrested for the murder of a 44-year-old woman who was reported missing.
The relative of the deceased reported her missing on 3 October 2020 and police launched an immediate search.
“It is alleged that at the time of her disappearance, the deceased went outside her house responding to a telephone call from the 39-year-old boyfriend. This would be the last times the deceased was seen,” said Brigadier Mathapelo Peters
Preliminary investigations found that the last person who was in contact with the deceased telephonically was her boyfriend. He was arrested after this was discovered.
Further investigation led the police to Dubai informal settlement where the rains of the missing woman were found. The body was found mutilated with no hand and feet.
A second suspect who is a self-proclaimed sangoma was arrested for his involvement in the murder. The motive for the brutal murder was muti-related.
Source: News24, IOL, The Citizen, image from Twitter