“I HAVE a reputation for killing people with muti.” These were the words of a well-known Eastern Cape sangoma as he testified in a Bhisho High Court trial concerning the 2010 murder of a King William’s Town civil servant.
Vuyani Sibanda, 42, is accused of conspiring to gun down Nthutuzelo Makeleni in April 2010.
His co-accused include Makeleni’s estranged wife Xoliswa Dingalubala, 49, as well as Isaac Phiri, 69, Makhaya Qwala, 34, and Ntsikelelo Manani,33.
Sibanda told the court yesterday that he was known for using muti to kill people at the request of his clients.
He Sibanda stands accused of several cases of contract killings around the province, as do several of his co-accused.
SibandaHe told the court that while he was often asked by clients to kill people using his powers as a sangoma, he did not organise a hit on Makeleni.
“Killing is my business – I do not need people to help me, I do it on my own,” Sibanda told the court.
Sibanda smiled throughout his testimony, and often used wide hand gestures to emphasise his points.
In February last year a Zwelitsha woman, Noluvuyo Makeleni, who was married and living with Makeleni, testified that men chased her out of the home shortly before he was murdered.
She identified Phiri as Makeleni’s killer.
Sibanda yesterday told the court that he did not know Phiri prior to his arrest.
Both Sibanda and Phiri stand accused of orchestrating at least four other contract killings – three in Mdantsane and another in King William’s Town.
Last week Dingalubala told the court that Makeleni had “severely” abused her for years, both emotionally and physically abusing her and the couple’s children.
She told the court that Sibanda offered to “remove” Makeleni using his “herbs”, and she understood this meant Makeleni would be struck down by lightning.
Sibanda denied this yesterday. “There was no day that I had a meeting with where we discussed the killing of her husband. There wasn’t even a promise to that effect,” he said.
She said that when she heard Makeleni was gunned down, she believed his murder was unrelated to her arrangement with Sibanda that her husband be murdered through the use of muti.
Under cross-examination yesterday, state advocate Luxolo Mbusi put it to Dingalubala that a key witness in the case, Jabulani Nodada, said she knew about the hit on her husband.
Nodada testified that Sibanda called Dingalubala and threatened to send “her husband’s killer” to meet her if she didn’t pay up for ordering the hit.
When Mbusi put this to Dingalubala, she did not answer his question.
The trial continues in the Bhisho High Court today (SUBS: TUES). — michelles@dispatch.co.za
Sangoma: killing people with muti is my job
Vuyani Sibanda, 42, is accused of conspiring to gun down Nthutuzelo Makeleni in April 2010.
His co-accused include Makeleni’s estranged wife Xoliswa Dingalubala, 49, as well as Isaac Phiri, 69, Makhaya Qwala, 34, and Ntsikelelo Manani,33.
Sibanda told the court yesterday that he was known for using muti to kill people at the request of his clients.
He Sibanda stands accused of several cases of contract killings around the province, as do several of his co-accused.
SibandaHe told the court that while he was often asked by clients to kill people using his powers as a sangoma, he did not organise a hit on Makeleni.
“Killing is my business – I do not need people to help me, I do it on my own,” Sibanda told the court.
Sibanda smiled throughout his testimony, and often used wide hand gestures to emphasise his points.
In February last year a Zwelitsha woman, Noluvuyo Makeleni, who was married and living with Makeleni, testified that men chased her out of the home shortly before he was murdered.
She identified Phiri as Makeleni’s killer.
Sibanda yesterday told the court that he did not know Phiri prior to his arrest.
Both Sibanda and Phiri stand accused of orchestrating at least four other contract killings – three in Mdantsane and another in King William’s Town.
Last week Dingalubala told the court that Makeleni had “severely” abused her for years, both emotionally and physically abusing her and the couple’s children.
She told the court that Sibanda offered to “remove” Makeleni using his “herbs”, and she understood this meant Makeleni would be struck down by lightning.
Sibanda denied this yesterday. “There was no day that I had a meeting with where we discussed the killing of her husband. There wasn’t even a promise to that effect,” he said.
She said that when she heard Makeleni was gunned down, she believed his murder was unrelated to her arrangement with Sibanda that her husband be murdered through the use of muti.
Under cross-examination yesterday, state advocate Luxolo Mbusi put it to Dingalubala that a key witness in the case, Jabulani Nodada, said she knew about the hit on her husband.
Nodada testified that Sibanda called Dingalubala and threatened to send “her husband’s killer” to meet her if she didn’t pay up for ordering the hit.
When Mbusi put this to Dingalubala, she did not answer his question.
The trial continues in the Bhisho High Court today (SUBS: TUES). — michelles@dispatch.co.za
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