Conviction Indigenous spiritual authority or imitation Majuba locality near Sterkspruit, Eastern Cape, South Africa · 2020

S v Manundu: group convictions for a killing driven solely by witchcraft accusations

Record class

Core record

Evidence status

Convicted

Authority role

adult relatives and community participants making witchcraft accusations, group acting during a post-funeral gathering

Organization

No organization assigned

Spiritual nexus

The trial court found that imputing witchcraft was the sole reason for the defendants' actions. During a gathering for a cleansing ritual after a relative's funeral, the group accused an elderly relative of using witchcraft, interrogated and assaulted her, dragged her to a burning rondavel and killed her. The murder and assault convictions preserve distinct culpability among the defendants.

Curse or witchcraft threat
Ritual, oath, or initiation
Institutional obedience or isolation
Threatened spiritual consequence

Evidence structure

Proceedings

2022-06-17 · trial judgment

High Court of South Africa, Eastern Cape Division at Mthatha, S v Manundu and Others, CC18/2020. The court convicted Mzubongile Manundu, Sithembiso Yalwa, Siyabulela Manundu and Mlungisi Manundu of murder by common purpose and imputing witchcraft. It convicted Nkosiyoxolo Kakudi Velemani of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and imputing witchcraft, acquitted him of murder, and acquitted all tried defendants of arson.
2022-08-18 · sentencing judgment

High Court of South Africa, Eastern Cape Division at Mthatha, S v Manundu and Others, CC18/2020. The four murder defendants each received an effective seventeen years' imprisonment: twenty years for murder with five suspended plus a consecutive two years for imputing witchcraft. Velemani received an effective five years for assault and imputing witchcraft.

Appellate history

Date in cited record · undefined

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Documented coercion mechanisms

witchcraft accusation
public interrogation and torture
group violence
blame for a relative's death
community acquiescence

Primary record

Sources

high court judgment trial and conviction judgment High Court of South Africa, Eastern Cape Division, S v Manundu and Others (CC18/2020) [2022] ZAECMHC 13 (June 17, 2022).: The trial judgment records the post-funeral setting, witchcraft accusations, group assault and killing, evidence by defendant, common-purpose findings, four murder convictions, the separate assault conviction, statutory witchcraft-imputation convictions and arson acquittals.
high court judgment sentencing judgment High Court of South Africa, Eastern Cape Division, S v Manundu and Others (CC18/2020) [2022] ZAECMHC 27 (Aug. 18, 2022).: The sentencing judgment states that witchcraft suspicion was the only reason for the killing, records the distinct offenses and roles, and gives the effective seventeen-year murder sentences and five-year assault sentence.
high court judgment leave to appeal disposition High Court of South Africa, Eastern Cape Division, Velemani v S (CC18/2020) [2022] ZAECMHC 40 (Oct. 6, 2022).: The leave-to-appeal judgment preserves Velemani's acquittal on murder, convictions for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and imputing witchcraft, sentences, and refusal of leave to appeal.

Related record

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