4 days ago
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.
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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"I'm sure it was withdrawn, but for the sake of the court, we had to tell the court what happened, but also the possession of dagga, we had to tell the court as well."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.
