Blame devil for some crimes, says MEC

SATAN is behind certain crimes in SA, North West Human Settlements and Public Safety MEC Nono Maloyi said during a ceremony for two crime victims over the weekend.

“Satan has declared war on the people of South Africa,” he said at the reburial of the remains of Reverend Elias Maretlwa and his daughter Leki at the Tlhabologang sports ground outside Coligny on Saturday.

The daughter, 23, and father, 61, were murdered, allegedly by his wife, and then buried in the family home.

“Satanism is the wicked force that makes wives kill their husbands and children,” Maloyi told mourners.

Two weeks ago, police discovered the National Independent Congregation Church reverend’s badly decomposed body, and a skeleton believed to be Leki’s, buried in a shallow grave under a bed in the house.

The reverend was reported missing in December, while his daughter disappeared in 2009.

The reverend’s wife and a teenage child are in custody awaiting a murder trial in connection with the deaths.

The wife apparently told family members that the father and daughter were in Botswana training as traditional healers. She said the two would return on June 16 this year.

When they did not, after repeated questioning from locals, she allegedly revealed the whereabouts of their bodies.

The wife reportedly confessed to burying them in the house, which was regularly used for church services, because she was too poor to afford a funeral. – Sapa