Latest news with #Khoanyana
TimesLIVE
5 days ago
- TimesLIVE
Sangoma implicated in toddler's murder makes U-turn on bail
The sangoma who was arrested in connection with the premeditated murder of two-year-old Kutlwano Shalaba has made an about-turn and wants to apply for bail. Sebokoana Khoanyana, 50, made a brief appearance on Thursday and his matter was postponed to June 25 for a formal bail application. Khoanyana appeared alongside Kutlwano's mother, Keneiwe Shalaba, 33, who is accused of lying about her son's disappearance in November 2024. Shalaba is also facing charges of premeditated murder. Khoanyana had initially requested that an attorney be made available so that he could plead guilty but was advised by the court that it was not the right time to plead. His lawyer, Gladmore Nyamande, said his client had a previous conviction of assault in 2019, which he believes was withdrawn. He was also convicted of possession of dagga but got a suspended sentence. Speaking to reporters shortly after the matter was postponed, Nyamande said: 'On his first appearance, he was not aware of his legal rights when he told the court that he wanted to plead guilty. 'According to his rights, the first thing he needs to do is to apply for bail and this matter will go further than the magistrate's court. We are not at the stage [of the trial] for him to plead guilty. He is flip-flopping; we don't know. When we come back, he might say he wants to abandon bail. 'On the day [of his first appearance] he just thought that by appearing and saying he wanted to plead, then the whole matter would be finished,' he said. A sangoma arrested in connection with the murder of Kutlwano Shalaba, 2, appears again in court alongside the child's mother Keneiwe Shalaba. The two are accused of killing Kutlwano in November last year. #BabyKutlwano @SowetanLIVE — Jeanette Chabalala 🇿🇦 (@J_chabalala) June 5, 2025 Khoanyana was arrested last Thursday after he led the police to a shallow grave at Waterpan Road in Bekkersdal, where the remains of a toddler believed to be Kutlwano were exhumed. National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the investigation revealed that on November 10 2024, Shalaba took the child to the sangoma and requested him to kill her child because she was not happy with the gender of the baby and was tired of hiding it from her family that the child was a girl. 'The mother then allegedly fed the baby poison and after the baby died, it is alleged that the two took the child and buried her in a shallow grave in Waterpan.' Shalaba was denied bail in February. She told police that Kutlwano was strapped to her back when he was snatched from her. However, she was arrested a few days later.
Eyewitness News
5 days ago
- Eyewitness News
Sangoma charged with human trafficking, premeditated murder of toddler to apply for bail
JOHANNESBURG - A sangoma charged with human trafficking and the premeditated murder of a toddler will apply for bail in the Vanderbijpark Magistrates Court on this week, Sebokoane Khoanyana told the court that he was the time, the court dismissed his admission, as it was not the time to address a and the child's mother are believed to have sold the child in community members filled the public a small group of the neighbourhood's safety gender-based violence (GBV) brigades picketed, singing that two-year-old Kutlwano Shalaba was not resting child's mother reported him missing in November 2024.A few days later, she was arrested for his the State's case that Keneilwe Shalaba received R75,000 on the day that her son went co-accused, Khoanyana, was arrested a week believe the sangoma was an accomplice in the toddler's the day of his arrest, police said he revealed where the child's body was buried in Thursday, his legal representative, Gladmore Nyamanda, said Khoanyana has decided to apply for magistrate asked: "How soon do you wish to bring this bail application?""We had agreed with the State for the 25th of June, your worship," Nyamanda replied. The two suspects will remain in custody until their next appearance later in June.
Eyewitness News
5 days ago
- Eyewitness News
Sangoma charged with premeditated murder of toddler has 2 previous convictions, court told
JOHANNESBURG - The Vanderbijlpark Magistrates Court has heard that a sangoma who is charged with human trafficking and the premeditated murder of a two-year-old has two previous convictions. Kutlwano Shalaba had been missing since November last year, when his body was recovered from a shallow grave in Bekkersdal last Friday. The toddler was allegedly sold for R75,000 by his mother to Sebokoane Khoanyana, with the funds deposited into the mother's account on the day of his disappearance. Khoayana is appearing in court on Thursday, with his co-accused, Keneilwe Shalaba, the mother of the murdered child. ALSO READ: Police probe premeditated murder case after toddler (2) was killed and his mother arrested Khoanyana was arrested last week, and he revealed that Kutlwano was buried in Bekkersdal, south of Gauteng. The sangoma was linked to the disappearance of the child following police investigations after it was found that the mother was involved in the disappearance of her child last year. On Thursday, Khoanyana told the court that he intended to apply for bail, which will be heard on 25 June 2025. His lawyer, Gladmore Nyamanda, has also told the court that the 50-year-old has previous cases of assault and possession of dagga from the Free State. Khoanyana's attorney adds that the assault case is from 2019. "I'm sure it was withdrawn, but for the sake of the court, we had to tell the court what happened, but also the possession of dagga, we had to tell the court as well." Nyamanda says the sentence for possession of dagga was a suspension of six months.
Eyewitness News
02-06-2025
- Eyewitness News
Mother who allegedly sold her son (2) to a sangoma for R75k to remain behind bars
JOHANNESBURG - A mother who allegedly sold her two-year-old son to a sangoma for R75,000 will remain behind bars. Keneilwe Shalaba appeared in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrates Court on Monday, alongside Sebokoana Khoanyana, the man who allegedly bought her child. The case has been postponed to Thursday to allow the second accused to apply for legal representation. Both accused face charges of human trafficking and premeditated murder. In November last year, Keneilwe Shalaba reported that her child had been kidnapped . She was arrested three days later, after confessing to selling him to a sangoma. After further investigation, cellphone records led police to Khoanyana. And w hen he was arrested, he confessed to playing a part in his disappearance and pointed out where the child was buried. They both face charges of human trafficking, premeditated murder, while she faces an additional charge of making a false statement to police and conspiracy to commit robbery. 'The State is opposed to the release of accused number two, your worship, may we remand the matter to the 5th of June as per the arrangement with Mr Khoanyana for legal aid application,' said State Prosecutor Moses Raditsela. Both accused will remain in custody until their next court appearance on Thursday.
