13 in court for arson after accusing woman (63) of witchcraft
Those who were arrested accused the woman of having been involved in the disappearance of a teenager in the village some weeks ago.
LIMPOPO – Thirteen suspects have been arrested for witchcraft-related arson, after an incident at Silvermine village in the Senwabarwana policing area.
The arrests were made on Wednesday, 13 May as a result of a tracing operation that was conducted by the police after the house of a 63-year-old woman was set alight by a group of community members, Police Spokesperson, Brig Motlafela Mojapelo confirmed in a statement.
“The incident happened on Monday, 11 May after community members accused the elderly woman of witchcraft, saying she was responsible for the disappearance of a 14-year-old girl from the same village,” he said.
Morongwa Marakalala was reported missing on 5 May at around 21:00.
The suspects in the arson case were believed to be aged between 18 and 32, but Mojapelo added that further police investigation revealed that a 15-year-old was also involved. The minor has been released into the custody of his parents.
All of the suspects appeared before the Senwabarwana Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 14 May and were denied bail. Their cases were postponed to 21 May for formal bail application.
Lt Genl Nneke Ledwaba, Provincial Police Commissioner, reprimanded the actions of the community members whom he said had resorted to old school tendencies of accusing others of practising witchcraft.
“People are urged to assist the police in locating the missing child instead, and refrain from taking the law into their own hands,” concluded Ledwaba.
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