NOTHANDO MAKHUBELA
MIDDELBURG – The case of the late Gabisile Shabane and her cousin Nkosikhona Ngwenya has been postponed to Friday, 5 March 2021 by the Mpumalanga Division of High Court sitting in Middelburg.
The 13 year old Shabane was living with albinism , when Thokozani Msibi , Knowledge Mhlanga ,Brilliant Mkhize and Themba Thubane kidnapped at her home in Hlalanikahle together with her 15 month old cousin Ngwenya in 28 January 2018.
The four suspects facing the charges of murder and kidnapping made their second appearance in court. Shabane ‘ s body was reportedly found without a head and buried in a shadow grave in Cullinan in the East of Pretoria in February 2019. Ngwenya was mistaken for his light skinned color and his body was found in a river on the side of the N4 in eMalahleni the same month.
The bodies of Shabane and Ngwenya were aimed to be used for “Umuthi” as the murder suspect Msibi “ Traditional Healer” admitted to court that the body parts of the two children were to save their failing business.
This tragedy incident left and caused too much fear to the people living with Albinism in Emalahleni. During the interview with Timeless News, Tryphina Nhlapho representing Melokuhle Albinism Foundation said “ People with albinism are not feeling safe in communities. We are at the point where we look over our shoulders and in terms of protection. I don’t think we are protected . We need more protection from the law enforcement agencies and otherwise we will always live in fear ” said Nhlapho.
Anna Shabane says the family wants to see all the four suspects to rot in jail. “ we would like to see this case coming to an end because its opens old wounds, we just want to see them being sentenced,” she said.
The first accused Msibi, has terminated the services of the legal aid council Mr Werner Smith. Mr Smith is the second legal aid attorney to get his services terminated by the accused Msibi. However, the other two accused are still with their first legal representative.
Out of the four men accused of killing Shabane in January 2018, only Thubane pleaded guilty in June 2019, admitting to the Mpumalanga high court that he was guilty as charged.
Last Monday, it has been reported during court that the fifth accused murder suspect who was reportedly arrested and found with body parts in Swaziland and was expected to be extradited to the South Africa has since pass on. The case has been postponed to Friday, 5 March 2021
