‘Witch mob’ accused off the hook

All charges dropped against 15 after brutal slaying of woman, 55

FIFTEEN people accused of witchcraft slaughter who appeared in the Flagstaff Magistrate’s Court yesterday are off the hook.

The 15, who included community police forum members, had faced murder charges following the slaying of 55-year-old woman they accused of witchcraft.

Yesterday, the National Prosecuting Authority’s Mthatha spokesman Luxulo Tyali said they had decided not to prosecute the suspects for the murder of Thembani Magidigidi, because there was not enough evidence linking them to the crime.

The Eastern Cape social development department condemned the incident and called on law-enforcement agencies to act fast and take a tough stance on perpetrators.

Department head Stanley Khanyile said yesterday: “We have a duty to protect our senior citizens.

“We have noticed that people are being attacked and killed on allegations of witchcraft. It is wrong. These killings are mainly on false accusations against innocent people based on the fact that they are old.”

Tyali said any future decision to prosecute would depend on police investigations. “If the police come back with evidence linking them to the crime, the NPA will prosecute.”

A murder docket was opened on November 26, and 13 men and two women were arrested two days later.

Police spokeswoman Captain Nozuko Hambile said Magidigidi was killed in the Bisana locality on September 26 and her body buried by the angry crowd.

Hambile said a case was opened at the Flagstaff police station on Saturday and the body was then exhumed. The suspects were arrested on Monday. By yesterday they were free. The killing left the community shocked, said Captain Hambile.

Community leaders said Magidigidi was killed following a frenzied search following the discovery of the body of her son, allegedly with a suicide note blaming her.

This was according to Emantleni community leader Chief Soyiso Makaula, who said Magidigidi was accused of “killing” her own son.

He said he was appalled at the behaviour of the mob, adding: “Some of the perpetrators are respected members of the community policing forum. They were meant to uphold the law, not take it into their own hands, so we are disappointed that they not only allowed this to happen, but took part in it too.

“We do not condone the killing of anyone, no matter what they have done. We are a community of lawabiders. This will send the wrong message and it leaves us ashamed.”

Makaula said Magidigidi’s body was later exhumed by some members of the mob.

Thabisa Mafutha, a close relative of Magidigidi, told the Daily Dispatch that the witchcraft rumours started circulating at the end of October after Magidigidi’s son died.

Mafutha, an eyewitness to the killing, said stones, knobkieries, bricks and steel pipes were used to bludgeon the woman to death. —