Albino killing sends shock waves
The trial of the four men accused of killing a 13-year-old girl living with albinism, and her one-year-old cousin, has caused trauma for people living with albinism.
Thokozani Msibi, a traditional healer, Brilliant Mkhize, Themba Thubane and Knowledge Mhlanga are facing charges of kidnapping and murder.
The men allegedly abducted Gabisile Shabani and Nkosikhona Ngwanya from their home in eMalahleni last February.
Their trial is currently underway in the High Court division at the Middelburg Magistrates Court.
Thubane pleaded guilty to the seven charges he is facing, while the three other men pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
On Tuesday Thobela’s lawyer read a written statement by his client.
Thokozani Msibi, Themba Thubane, Brilliant Mkhize, and Knowledge Mhlanga.
The accused told the court that in 2018 he went to consult Mr Msibi about his struggling business in Pretoria.
Mr Msibi told him that he needed the body of a person living with albinism to boost his rental and welding business.
The men then went on a manhunt for an albino person, the letter read.
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They could not find a person in Pretoria, Verena or Groblersdal, but they received a call that there was a child with albinism living in Hlalakahle, eMalahleni.
They allegedly abducted Gabisile, who was sleeping in her underwear, and Nkosikhona.
When they realised that the one-year-old did not have albinism, they threw him from a bridge to drown in a river’s water.
Gabisile’s body was found mutilated in a shallow grave in Pretoria.
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The case has been postponed for judgment on Friday.
Hearing the details of how the men allegedly killed the two children, Lucky Qoke, who is living with albinism, says he lives in constant fear.
Mr Qoke said he has relocated twice since the killings, he also added that he fears using public transport with his wife and son, who also have albinism.
“We find ourselves in a difficult space, we are not black enough, nor are we white. I wish for my son to live in a world where he does not have to be scared to go to the mall,” he said.
He also added that he hopes the judge slaps Thubane with life imprisonment, “I feel like he was not truly remorseful,” he said.
