MBOMBELA – While the Campaign of 16 Days of Activism continues, four men have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping and alleged murder of a three-year-old girl.
The child went missing early last month after apparently going to the forest with a 19-year-old neighbour. The teenager was arrested and he alleged that he gave the child to a local traditional healer known as Mjerico who was detained, but later released, due to lack of evidence.
A task team was established by the local police to thoroughly investigate on the issue of the missing child and their investigations led to the rearrest of Mjerico Jabulani Ndlovu (37), Sifiso Mhlanga (18), Themba Mnyambo (44) and the 19-year-old neighbour, Louis Sithole.
They will appear again in the Tonga Magistrate’s Court on January 13, 2016.
Members of the community torched the traditional healer’s vehicles and houses.
Members of the community also kidnapped four family members of the traditional healer, including his girlfriend.
The four who recently visited Mpumalanga News offices and had visible scars on their wrists and ankles where they claimed they were handcuffed by members of the community who forced them to tell the truth about the whereabouts of the child.The four said they were kept separately in a secluded area in another traditional healer’s home for approximately 21 days.
They also accused the police of not arresting the people who kidnapped them.
