/ 27 December 2008

Five killed in Eastern Cape ‘witchcraft’ attack

Eastern Cape police shot dead two men after two women and a six-year-old girl were killed in an attack — allegedly linked to witchcraft — on December 25.

Ntombizanele Combo (45) was killed after her rondavel was set alight at Timane village near Dutywa, said Captain Jackson Manatha on Friday.

Her six-year-old granddaughter, Sibulele Combo, tried to get out through the door, but the attackers pushed her back inside. Two others in the hut, Combo’s daughter and young son, managed to escape the fire.

Meanwhile, Nokwesile Wogqoyi (80) was hacked to death nearby. When police arrived to investigate on Friday morning, Ntombizanele Combo’s son Baba Wogqoyi advanced on the officers with an iron rod.

”Warning shots were fired, but he kept on advancing on the police, who eventually shot him in the leg as the lives of the police were in danger.”

He bled to death at the scene before an ambulance arrived.

Later the body of another man, 57-year-old Mthuthindaba Nqontso, was found with a bullet wound.

”It is suspected that he may have been unfortunately hit by one the warning shots,” said Manatha.

Seven men and a woman were arrested and are expected to appear in the Dutywa Magistrate’s Court on Monday to face arson and murder charges.

”The motive behind the murders is believed to be witchcraft as nothing was stolen from the two homesteads,” said Manatha. – Sapa