Bhekukufa Lindeni Gumede (65), a traditional healer, told his co-accused he needed the body of an albino female because the body parts, mixed with muthi, would make them rich.
Thandazile Mpunzi, who was just 20 at the time of her murder, was lured to a secluded area by the four, one of whom was her boyfriend, where they strangled her.
They later dumped her body in a nearby forest, having used Gumede’s vehicle to do so.
The following day they dismembered the body, removing some body parts.
At a later stage, they buried the remains in another part of the forest.
After their arrest shortly after the murder, two of Gumede’s co-accused, Mandla Mabuzo and Lindokuhle Khumalo, pleaded guilty to the murder and were each sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.
Another co-accused, Siyabonga Gwala, who was a youth at the time, was last February sentenced to 18 years imprisonment.
The matter was successfully prosecuted by Senior State Advocate Sipho Magwaza.
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