Teen girl forced to drink brake fluid before murder

THE family of 14-year-old Gabisile Shabane on Friday said the DNA tests on her body were delayed because she was forced to drink brake fluid mixed with dagga shortly before she was murdered.

Gabisile was one of two children kidnapped from their home in Hlalanikahle, Witbank, Mpumalanga in January and later found murdered.

Gabisile’s mother, Annah Shabane, said they had received the DNA test results for another murdered child, 15-month-old boy Nkosikhona Ngwenya, from the police two weeks ago.

“It’s very painful to wait for months to bury our children,” Shabane said, speaking to reporters outside the Witbank Magistrate’s Court, shortly after four men – Thokozani Msibi, Brilliant Mkhize, Themba Thubane and Knowledge Mhlanga – appeared in connection with the kidnapping and murder.

“The DNA tests must be completed so that we can bury those children.

“Our lives are very difficult. We often think and talk about this matter.”

Provincial spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority Monica Nyuswa said the DNA tests were delayed because Gabisile’s body was contaminated with brake fluid.

“The DNA tests will still be completed,” said Nyuswa.

On April 4, State prosecutor Fanie Mavundla told the same court that Gabisile, who had albinism, was forced to drink brake fluid mixed with dagga, allegedly by one of the accused, shortly before she was murdered.

Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said on Friday the police were ready to give the Shabane family Nkosikhona’s body if they wanted it.

The children were kidnapped from their home on January 28, allegedly by three men who entered the house through a broken window.

Gabisile’s headless body was found buried in a shallow grave in Cullinan, east of Pretoria, in the third week of February with some of its parts missing.

The body of Nkosikhona, who did not have albinism, was found on the side of the N4 freeway in Mpumalanga in the same week.

The case was postponed to August 14 for further investigation. – African News Agency (ANA)