Bishop Joseph Tanzwani Ramafamba of the Holiness Apostolic Church briefly appeared in the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court for the second time on Wednesday last week. He is charged with ritual murder, attempted murder and robbery, following the incident that happened at Makonde-Shadani on 23 October last year.

He is implicated in the Maanda Sendedza-Nyelisani Sidimela case, which has continued to make national headlines since last year.

Prominent clergymen led the marchers around the streets of Thohoyandou shortly before the court proceedings started.

A large crowd, including members of the bishop’s congregation, demonstrated outside the court to oppose the bishop’s intention to apply for bail. Angry members of the Makonde Sanco and Khoro ya Mutavhatsindi (Royal Council) also handed a memorandum to the Chief Magistrate during the demonstrations. They demanded that the Bishop, together with his two accomplices, Mukondeleli Phosha and Shumani Dzebu who are also in custody for the same case, should never be given bail.

The memorandum also demanded that three more people, whom Dzebu claimed to have committed the ritual murder with, must also be arrested as a matter of urgency.

Part of the memorandum reads: “The case must never be referred to the Supreme Court before all the suspects have been arrested. We will also make this country ungovernable if the justice system moves the case to the Supreme Court before Nyelisani Sidimela fully recovers to testify against the man-eaters who sliced off her lips. The MEC for Safety, Security and Liason, should intervene because we have lost hope with the local police.”

Ramafamba has joined Phosha and Dzebu, both traditional healers, who were arrested in November last year. They also appeared with the bishop on Wednesday. Phosha and Dzebu were allegedly found in possession of the late Maanda Sendedza’s private parts, tongue, cell phone and trousers. They were also found in possession of Nyelisani Sidimela’s removed lips. Nyelisani is presently receiving treatment at a Gauteng hospital.

Ramafamba was not asked to plead and the case against the three men was postponed to May 31. Phosha and Dzebu are no longer eligible for a bail application.