By Sandile Nkambule | 2019-01-12
The traditional healer who stands accused of raping a 16-year-old girl who was her client inside his consultation room (indumba), was admitted to hospital after collapsing following his arrest on the rape charges.
Sibusiso Nhlonipho Tsabedze of Ngculwini area was arrested by the Manzini police and charged with contravening the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act of 2018.
Tsbabedze yesterday failed to make an appearance during his urgent bail application at the High Court as he was reported to have been admitted in hospital after collapsing. According to the charge sheet, Tsabedze of Ngculwini (Logwazela area) is charged with contravening the SODV Act in that on or about October to November 2018 at or near Ngculwini, the said accused person did wrongfully and unlawfully have sexual intercourse, with the minor girl who in law is incapable of consenting to sexual intercourse, thus contravening the act.
The traditional healer (42) was arrested after police investigations allegedly revealed that he had indeed sexually assaulted the minor while performing healing rituals.
In her statement, the girl revealed that she started experiencing severe chest pains in May 2018 and her parents took her to different hospitals and pastors so they could pray for her, but the pains persisted as her condition worsened to a point where she would abscond classes during the month of September 2018.
She said her mother informed me that she had reported her condition to Tsabedze who is a known and popular local traditional healer in the area, and she had to consult with him.
Stated
She stated in her statement that she went to his place with two of her siblings, and upon arrival, entered his indumba but the traditional healer allegedly ordered them out so he could attend to them one at a time.The minor submitted that she was the last to enter the room she was told that someone had bewitched her, adding that Tsabedze requested for her cellphone number and informed her that she needed to be cleansed through the use of milk and Coke.
The minor also stated that since she did not have a cellphone, she gave him her mother’s numbers.
“He then gave me concoctions and ordered me to smoke them. He further instructed me to undress myself and ordered that I stand in front of him, naked. I did just that and he placed a stick with a black substance on my breasts and below my stomach, asked me to leave the room and return with the milk and Coke so I could steam (kufutsa). After one week, I returned to his consultation room as he had ordered, and upon arrival he ordered me to go and throw up and ordered my sister out as well,” she alleged.
Complainant
The complainant further revealed that while inside the room, the accused told her that he was in love with her and wanted to marry her, however, she refused to entertain him and informed him that she was still concentrating on her education but he allegedly came closer and ordered her to kiss him and again to undress before proceeding to have unlawful sexual intercourse with her and gave E250, ordering her to buy a new underwear as he had said he wanted to perform rituals on them inside his indumba.
She also mentioned that besides having sexual intercourse with the accused person several times, he had allegedly ordered her to make a promise that she would love him forever by taking a white piece of cloth and making a cross and line, further saying some words usually used by people who are in love.
He is granted bail of E15 000 by High Court
Represented by senior attorney Sipho Gumedze, Tsabedze yesterday filed an urgent application for bail at the High Court. Although he was not present in court after being admitted to hospital, Judge Doris Tshabalala granted him bail fixed at E15 000. However, the court ordered that he shall pay E3 000 in cash and E12 000 shall be in a form of a surety since the Crown represented by prosecuting counsel Nolwazi Mabila did not oppose the bail application.
Conditions
When the court was supposed to read the bail conditions, Gumedze submitted that the accused person was not present in court since he had been admitted to hospital. “My Lady, may I state that the applicant is not before court since he has been admitted to hospital,” Gumede submitted. By the time this report was compiled yesterday afternoon, Tsabedze, through relatives, had already paid the bail amount at the Government Revenue Offices and a liberation warrant was issued by the court for the Zakhele Remand Centre.
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