Limpopo ritual murderers ‘who cut off deceased’s body parts’ sentenced
The court heard that Hlayisani Hlungwani (26) was still alive while her body parts were removed.
LIMPOPO – Justice Khami Makhafola today, 12 November, sentenced Christinah Mhlongo (56), Solomon Mqengeni Mahumani (67) and Amos Mafemani Chuma (51) to life imprisonment for the murder of Hlayisani Hlungwani (26).
The three appeared in the Thohoyandou High Court for the ritual murder on 17 April 2017. “The state alleged that the trio unlawfully and intentionally killed Hlungwani of Nsavulani village by cutting off the deceased’s lips, breasts and her private parts. The three accused acted in the furtherance of common purpose and the heinous crime was motivated by greed and the love of money. The murder sent shock waves through the Hlomela and Nsavula villages,” said Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, Regional Spokesperson for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Limpopo.
Malabi-Dzhangi said the court heard that Daniel Dzambukeri (33) lured his sister in-law Hlungwani to climb into Chuma’s car, in order to fetch her child from her grandmother. “Dzambukeri testified that when the vehicle reached Hlomela village, they drove to the bushes where they tied Hlungwani’s legs to a tree. The same evening all the accused came to the scene to perform their rituals. Dzambukeri told the court that he held the deceased with Mahumani while Chuma cut out the body parts with a knife and handed the parts to Mhlongo who wrapped them with a red cloth,” Malabi-Dzhangi explained.
In the beginning of the trial Dzambukeri pleaded guilty to the murder and told the court that he had committed this crime with all three accused persons. He was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Limpopo High Court in April 2018.
Mhlongo asked the court not to sentence her for a murder she didn’t commit and that “there was no way I could have joined men to commit such crime,” Mhlongo said in mitigation of her sentence. Mahumani and Chuma also asked the court not to sentence them and they accepted no responsibility for their actions.
In aggravation of sentence the state advocate Absah Madzhuta called a family member, who testified about the impact the killing had on the deceased’s child.
“The child failed her grade and she knows that her mother was killed by a woman and men, so as a result, she is afraid of her father and visitors. Madzhuta remarked that this is a barbaric crime, where the deceased fought for for life and ended up suffering a most painful death as her body parts were removed while she was still alive. Her mother-in law performed rituals while she was naked. She burned herbs and called Hlungwani ancestors to accept her spirit,” Malabi-Dzhangi said.
Madzhuta said this barbaric murder does not respect the deceased’s right to life in terms of Section 11 of the Constitution. “He also deplored the callousness of the murder, saying that the murder must have been premeditated. Some parts of the body were cut off and they did not disclose where they are. Her body was covered with maggots,” the statement concludes.
The sentence was welcomed by the Director of Public Prosecutions’ advocate Ivy Thenga, who commended the investigation team together with the state advocate for the work well done.
