Court hears how sangoma ‘hatched body parts plan’

The Mthatha High Court has heard chilling evidence of how a boyfriend allegedly coerced his girlfriend to enrich them by selling their two children and a niece for body part harvesting to make muti.

The Mthatha High Court, sitting in Mbizana, is hearing the trial of sangoma Olwethu Mbalwa, who is accused of the murder of schoolgirl Sinoyolo Mgaga, 17. She was found decapitated and her private parts removed at KwaNikwe village in Mbizana in October 2017.

Taking the stand, Hawks investigating officer Sergeant Tandokazi Jojo-Gwazela told Judge Buyiswa Majiki that Mgaga’s aunt, Noluthando Bandezi, was the first to suspect her boyfriend had something to do with the brutal murder of the schoolgirl.

Jojo-Gwazela said: ‘’She said that they were very poor, uneducated and there was no way they could get a decent job from government or in any other place and their situation became worse. They were struggling to make ends meet. The boyfriend suggested there were three children and they can have them killed to harvest body parts to have sangomas make muti to make them rich. This was a conversation they continued to have for many days. But Noluthanda Bandezi said she never agreed on the killing of the three children.”

Jojo-Gwazela said the aunt and the boyfriend were held for questioning and released as there was no prima facie evidence against them.

She said Mbalwa was arrested in October 27.

“He made a confession and also led the police to where he had buried body parts.”

The trial was postponed to Wednesday when the state will call another witness.