Prayers for family of murdered child

THE distraught and exhausted father of the child who was killed in an alleged muti killing is struggling to come to terms with his son’s death.

Eddie Mongwe, 41, father of five-year-old Tinyiko, who was brutally murdered two weeks ago in an alleged satanic plot, was teary-eyed yesterday when Pastor Paseka “Mboro” Motsoeneng tried to console him.

Visibly shaken, Mongwe could not seem to focus on Motsoeneng during his visit to the family’s home in Orlando East, Soweto, yesterday.

Tinyiko was allegedly murdered by 21-year-old Aaron Shiburi on April 10, who is believed to have abducted him while he was playing with his friends, slit his throat and drunk his blood. According to police, Shiburi is still in hospital being treated for injuries that he suffered before getting arrested.

Motsoeneng was accompan- ied by members of his church, veteran actors Jerry Phele and Lucky Legodi, and musicians Sipho “Brickz” Ndlovu and Winnie Khumalo. Grade R pupils from Tinyiko’s school, Leresche Primary, were also present.

Mboro took the opportunity to make it clear that he would hold prayer meetings in and around Soweto due to the number of violent incidents that have taken place there over the last few weeks.

“The people of Soweto have been saying that I haven’t been to the area to pray in years. We will use Dobsonville Stadium, the communal hall in Orlando East, to have prayer meetings. And should these venues not be available, we will then use a tent. This is something that is set to happen over the next few weeks,” Motsoeneng said.

The pastor added that he would be leading a delegation to pray for the perpetrator. He also donated R5 000 to the family.

“We are going to pray with this guy. We’ve heard that he is not himself, the powers of the devil have entered him and we must deal with that spirit,” he said.

The boy’s mother, Rosina Mosiuoa, 40, said she appreciated the support.

“We have felt supported during this time. We are really grateful, even though it’s been hard,” she said.

On forgiving Shiburi, Mosiuoa said she wasn’t ready to forgive Shiburi yet.

He is set to appear in the Orlando Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday next week.

PICTURE: DIMPHO MAJA IN FAITH: Residents of Orlando East came out to support the family and pray together with Pastor Paseka “Mboro” Motsoeneng, and Rosina Mosiuoa, the mother of 5-year-old Tinyiko Mongwe, who was murdered in a suspected ritual killing.