Two more traditional healers arrested for kidnapping

Two more traditional healers have been arrested and charged with kidnapping (child stealing). This comes after an 11-year-old boy, Theophilus Tshivhi of Madombidzha, was allegedly kidnapped by sangomas in Nzhelele two weeks ago. The latest arrests have increased the number of suspects to five.

Traditional healers Ms Alilali Ndou (81) and Ntakuseni Ndou (32) were arrested by the Tshilwavhusiku police last Thursday on kidnapping charges. The two have now joined the other three suspects, Ms Elisabeth  Ramaremela (60), her husband Johannes (69) and Mr Sello Tlhaoele (21).

The spokesperson for the Tshilwavhusiku police, Const Godwin Mahuwa, confirmed the arrest of the two traditional healers. They briefly appeared before the Tshilwavhusiku Magistrate's Court last Friday and the case was postponed to 3 February, when all five suspects are expected to appear in court.

The victim, Theophilus Tshivhi, went missing on 17 January, after he was allegedly taken by the Ramaremelas to a bushy area in Maname village near Nzhelele. According to the police, Ms Ramaremela and her husband, who are also residents of Madombidzha, had allegedly taken the boy to the village, where they planned to collect traditional herbs. Theophilus was, however, allegedly taken without his family's consent.

A day after the boy went missing, the suspects apparently filed a missing person's report at the Siloam police station. This was before they notified the victim's family of the boy's disappearance. His family then decided to open a case of kidnapping with the police.

A group of Madombidzha community members protested outside the Tshilwavhusiku Magistrate's Court on Wednesday. They handed over a memorandum to the court representative in which they oppose the suspects' bail application. According to a community leader, Mr Tshamaano Ratshikhopha, the residents are demanding that the police speed up the investigation. "We are also demanding as residents that the five suspects must not be given bail," he said.

Ratshikhopha, who is also the secretary of the South African National Civic Organization in the area, urged residents to co-operate with the police while the legal process continues. This comes after some people had threatened to take the law into their own hands.

Theophilus was a grade 4 pupil at the Tshilwavhusiku Primary School.

The principal of the school, Ms Ntakadzeni Lefuwa, said that the matter had affected all of the teachers at the school. "It surprised us when Theophilus did not return to school on 18 January. His parents then came and told us about his disappearance, which came as a shock to us." She said that, initially, they had not told the pupils about the matter, as they feared that it might traumatise them.

Provincial spokesperson for the South African Police Service Lt Col Ronel Otto said on Tuesday that the police's dog unit and members of the community were busy searching for the boy.