Murder, human trafficking accused sangoma abandons bail application

A sangoma, who is a Lesotho foreign national, abandoned his bail application at the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court.

Sebokoana Khounyana (50) faces charges of premeditated murder and human trafficking of a 2-year-old baby, and being in the country illegally.

His co-accused, the mother of the child, Kuneuwe Portia Shalaba (32), faces charges of premeditated murder, human trafficking, conspiracy to commit robbery, and making a false statement to the police.

NPA regional spokesperson for the Gauteng division, Lumka Mahanjana said it is alleged that on 10 November 2024, Shalaba took her child to the sangoma and requested him to kill the child because she was not happy with the baby’s gender and was tired of hiding from her family that in fact, the child was a girl.

“Shalaba allegedly fed the baby poison and after the baby died, she allegedly took the child and buried the body in a shallow grave in Waterpan. After police investigations, the sangoma was arrested on 29 May and subsequently made a confession. He showed the police where the body of the child was buried.

“After the brief appearance in court, the matter was postponed to 6 August for further investigations. The court previously denied the mother’s release on bail,” said Mahanjana.

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