The human bones of a little girl who died in February 2000 are still kept in the ceiling of Malale Community Centre, after the family refused to bury her until the people who had allegedly murdered her for muti are apprehended. Limpopo’s MEC for Safety, Security and Liason, Samson Ndou, visited the Malale village, near Musina, on Friday, in an attempt to resolve the issue.

Little Sarina Ndou was only four years old when she disappeared on 26 February, 2000. On August 1, 2000, women who were looking for wood in the local mountain discovered the human bones, which were later taken for forensic tests which confirmed that they belonged to the little girl. When the police retuned the bones for burial, family members refused to bury them because they believed their little girl had been murdered for muti purposes by people who are known to the community.

The deceased girl’s mother, Josephine Ndou (34), said her little girl was sent by a relative to buy bread when she disappeared. She told MEC Ndou: “We became worried when my little girl did not return and it was becoming late. We reported the matter to the local headman who immediately summoned the police. We searched all over, but the girl was nowhere to be found. The search continued for two weeks but it was fruitless.”

Josephine said a source saw an old lady with a baby on her back heading towards the bush, the same day her little girl disappeared. “The source said the child was crying uncontrollably, but the old woman kept on walking to the bush. I believe it was my child who was being delivered to muti killers.”

Apart from the forensic test results, Josephine said she knew that the bones belong to her daughter because of a red wool necklace that was found next to her remains. “The bones were discovered beneath a shrub and her red wool necklace was lying there. This thing is almost killing me and I have not enjoyed peaceful sleep since 2000.”

Josephine told MEC Ndou that the family refused to accept the bones in a protest against ritual murder actions, of which they believe their little girl was a victim. “Look, four suspects who are members of this community were taken to the Mutale Magistrate’s Court, but we have never received any feedback since 2000. We know them and they are roaming freely in the streets while my child is dead. Please, MEC, make sure that this matter is resolved because it makes our lives miserable.”

Village headman Wilson Nemalale explained why the bones were kept in the ceiling of the community centre. “We implored the family to bury the bones on several occasions but they refused. After their refusal, the police delivered the bones to my house but I told them I couldn’t keep the bones because they deserved to be in a graveyard. After a mass meeting with the community, it was agreed that the bones should be kept in the ceiling of the community center until such time the family decided to bury them. It is painful because this is the sixth year that the bones have been kept and the family members are still adamant that they will not bury them.”

After meeting the family and the headman, MEC Ndou promised that he was going to launch an intensive investigation to find out what exactly has transpired since 2000. “The soul of the little girl will never rest in peace until this issue is resolved.”

We are going to investigate whether there was a formal court hearing after the court summoned the four suspects. We are also going to call for the reinvestigation of the whole matter and make sure that, if found guilty, the suspects need to spend long terms in prison.”

The MEC says he believes that the protest by the family against burying the bones is genuine. “They have the right to know what exactly happened to their loved one. After collecting all the information, I will come back and report my findings to the family and the headman soon.”

Ms Maria Munyai, who works at the community center, said: “The bones are kept in the ceiling of our office, which serves as a satellite office for the Musina Municipality. Although we are concerned and feel afraid, there is nothing we can do because we are working for our families. Something must be done about the bones because it demoralizes us when we think of going to work.”