adminSukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
TWO Bulilima siblings, who allegedly strangled to death a 63-year-old woman in full view of her 15-year-old granddaughter following witchcraft accusations, appeared in court yesterday charged with murder.The pair, Privilege Ncube, 26 and her brother Jabulani Ndlovu, 23 appeared on initial remand before Plumtree magistrate Gideon Ruvetsa who deferred trial to March 20.
Prosecutors say the siblings strangled the old woman Thoko Dube to death before hammering her with a knobkerrie on Saturday.
They left her lying dead in her kitchen hut and ordered the juvenile to remain silent about the issue.
The knobkerrie was recovered from a bushy area close to their homestead. Ndlovu was apprehended by villagers while at his homestead while Ncube had fled to a friend’s home where she was also apprehended.
Ncube and her brother reportedly confessed to villagers upon being apprehended that they were pleased with their actions and did not show remorse as they took to the dock.
The pair, whose homestead is adjacent to that of Dube in Sikhathini area, Bulilima District hatched a plot to murder the elderly woman after Ncube, who is Dube’s daughter-in-law, accused her of killing several members of the family.
They proceeded to Dube’s home on Saturday night and ordered her 15-year-old granddaughter who was under their care to accompany them.
The trio found the deceased woman alone with a one-month-old baby which enabled them to carry out their agenda.
Ncube, with the assistance of her brother, pounced on her mother-in-law and they strangled her leaving her unconscious. The pair went on to hammer her with a knobkerrie as she lay unconscious while her granddaughter watched.
Thereafter they returned home and Dube’s body was discovered on the following morning by villagers who assumed she had died of natural causes.
Dube’s granddaughter, who witnessed the incident, later revealed what had happened after relatives noticed bruises and a wound on the deceased’s body.
A report was made to the police leading to the arrest of Ncube and Ndlovu and subsequent recovery of the knobkerrie used in the commission of the alleged offence.
The pair was arrested on Wednesday following police investigations.
They indicated that killing Dube would save the village as they had eliminated a threat to mankind. Medica Tshuma stood for the State.
Online Reporter