logo
Police crack 2023 ritual murder after healer allegedly found in possession of the deceased's organs

Police crack 2023 ritual murder after healer allegedly found in possession of the deceased's organs

The Herald2 days ago
A traditional healer is expected to appear in the Garankuwa magistrate's court on Monday in connection with the 2023 murder of 20-year-old Gontse Makhubela.
The 38-year-old man from Mozambique was arrested in Winterveldt on Thursday after he was allegedly found in possession of Makhubela's organs.
Her mutilated, partly burnt and badly decomposed body was found at a refuse dumping site in Elandskraal, Brits, on November 23 2023.
He is the third suspect to be arrested in the case after the earlier arrests of two other men.
Samuel Mlambo, 38, and Serame Moroke, 29, were arrested last Wednesday. Their case was postponed to August 19 for a bail application after their appearance in court on Friday.
In addition to murder, the duo are charged with kidnapping, violation and/or defiling of a corpse and contravention of the Immigration Act.
According to police, Mlambo and Moroke were linked to the murder after officers recovered the deceased's phone.
Police spokesperson Brig Sabata Mokgwabone said it is believed the victim was tricked by Moroke after Mlambo tasked him to find a young woman fitting a particular profile to be murdered so Mlambo could have her organs for muti. He had allegedly consulted the traditional healer.
Mokgwabone said investigations are continuing, with the possibility of more arrests.
TimesLIVE
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Set up dedicated anti-kidnapping unit in Nelson Mandela Bay before it's too late
Set up dedicated anti-kidnapping unit in Nelson Mandela Bay before it's too late

The Herald

time2 hours ago

  • The Herald

Set up dedicated anti-kidnapping unit in Nelson Mandela Bay before it's too late

Nelson Mandela Bay has long been a dangerous city, but the recent spate of kidnappings is pushing fear to a new level. The brazenness of these attacks is increasing. Take, for example, the abduction of 73-year-old Theresa Minnie from the driveway of her Kariega home. It was carried out in the quiet predawn hours in a suburban street. Incidents like this turn neighbourhoods into scenes of fear and suspicion, further shattering the illusion that safety can be found at home. Families who once worried about burglaries now face the unthinkable prospect of having their loved ones being kidnapped. Business leaders have warned that the climate of fear is driving away investment in the metro, closing opportunities and forcing residents to consider leaving. The Hawks and the multidisciplinary task team have made arrests and achieved some success. However, it is not enough. Bay businessman Kelvin Naidoo, who was kidnapped in July 2024 and endured a harrowing six-day ordeal before his ultimate release, fears that without dedicated police intervention the situation is only going to get worse. 'This latest incident is indeed tragic — and, unfortunately, we have an overworked police kidnapping unit which simply cannot keep up. 'Unless there is a special anti-kidnapping unit set up in the city, I don't see this getting better. 'Unfortunately, the targeting of businesspeople and foreign nationals will have a long-term impact on the local economy.' Bay ACDP councillor Lance Grootboom, who lives in the Kariega suburb of Fairbridge Heights — near to where Minnie was abducted — said he would call for the kidnapping scourge to be urgently debated in council. 'As the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality, we need to collaborate with the national and provincial government on the one hand, and local community and business entities on the other, to address this.' A dedicated, well-resourced anti-kidnapping unit in Nelson Mandela Bay is is urgent. This unit must be properly staffed, equipped and trained to act swiftly, Until the police, Hawks and the city treat kidnapping as the emergency it is, the brazen criminals will keep striking. The Herald

Benoni man accused of raping and impregnating daughter denied bail
Benoni man accused of raping and impregnating daughter denied bail

The Herald

time4 hours ago

  • The Herald

Benoni man accused of raping and impregnating daughter denied bail

The Tsakani magistrate's court on Tuesday denied bail to a 39-year-old man from Lindelani, Benoni, who is accused of raping and impregnating his daughter, who was 15, in 2022. The man had applied for bail on Friday. 'The alleged abuse began in March 2022 when the victim lived with her parents and younger brother in Tsakani,' National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said. On the day of the first incident, the mother was at church and left her daughter with her father and brother. The father allegedly called the victim into the house and sent her brother to buy chips. 'When the victim got inside the house she found the father in her room. The father allegedly locked the door behind her, undressed both himself and the victim, raped her, and left her in her room.' Upon the mother's return, she found the victim crying on her bed. 'She told her mother what had happened but the mother did not believe her.' The abuse allegedly continued when the mother was not around and the child stopped telling her mother as she still did not believe the victim. The child became pregnant the same year. The mother brought a concoction and told the child to drink it in an attempt to abort her baby, which failed. The parents then moved the victim to Limpopo to live with her paternal grandmother, where she gave birth to a boy in December 2022. 'After turning 18, the victim opened a case in Limpopo on July 7 2025, resulting in the father's arrest on July 19 2025.' In court, the father sought R1,000 bail, citing his role as the primary caregiver for his three children aged one, 12, and 18 since his unemployed wife could not support them. Prosecutor Sindi Leonora Sejake called investigating officer Sgt Tebogo Lephoto, who opposed the accused's release on bail because the state had a strong case. Lephoto said DNA evidence revealed that the accused was the father of the victim's three-year-old child. 'The investigating officer testified that the accused was likely to interfere with witnesses since he went to Limpopo from Gauteng in attempt to confront the child after he realised that the child had opened a case against him and was speaking about the matter on social media.' Magistrate Tebogo Lekgau denied bail, noting the severity of the charge and the likelihood of a life sentence if convicted. She emphasised the strong state case, the accused's potential to evade trial and the community outcry that prompted the family's relocation. 'Moreover, the magistrate said, the vulnerable child was failed by her father as he repeatedly raped her, while her mother also failed to protect her by refusing to believe her.' The case was postponed to August 28. TimesLIVE

No bail yet for twins linked to Prasa manager Jacob Khoaele's death
No bail yet for twins linked to Prasa manager Jacob Khoaele's death

The Herald

time5 hours ago

  • The Herald

No bail yet for twins linked to Prasa manager Jacob Khoaele's death

An attorney representing twins Vukile and Vukani Mchunu, 35, who are linked to the murder of Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) regional manager Jacob Khoaele on January 22, has slammed the delays in the siblings' bail application. On Tuesday the pair's bail application suffered a setback after prosecutor Carlson Govender told court the state was not ready to proceed and asked for the matter to be postponed. He said investigating officer Sgt Nkosinathi Madonsela couldn't attend the hearing as he was busy with other duties which included processing a fourth suspect, Mthandeni Cele, linked to the death. The resident prosecutor, Calvin Govender, was also not available. The twins are charged with Sandile Sakhile Ngcobo, 38, and Cele, 24, who have abandoned their bail application and are represented by Mondli Mjoka. Khoaele, 53, died in a hail of bullets in his vehicle on Shelbourne Avenue, La Lucia.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store