Chilling details about the murder of a Berlin woman, allegedly at the hands of a group of men while they were still initiates on Christmas Eve, emerged in the Mdantsane Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The five young men, aged between 16 and 19, applied for bail. They stand accused of killing Nolulamo “Lulu” Faku, 59, of Mncotsha village in Berlin.
Thembalethu Krokrone took to the stand and told magistrate Joel Ceasar that he was sleeping in his initiation hut when Faku arrived at the initiation school. He spoke in a low voice as his co-accused Luxolo Falo and Lukholo Pakade looked on from the dock.
Two minors have also been charged with murder but cannot be named because of their age. They were all in court yesterday.
“It was 11pm and I was woken up by other initiates in the hut. They informed me that there was a woman standing outside the hut. When I got out, she said ‘you are not to going to leave here alive’ and ‘you are not going to leave here in the numbers that you came in’,” Krokrone told the court.
He said fearing that she would start sprinkling black magic substances around their initiation hut, they started chasing her away.
“She refused to go and kept threatening us that we won’t come out of the school alive,” he said.
His attorney Mlibo Sanqela asked: “What was going on in your mind when that was happening? Did you not feel threatened by what she was saying?”
“I was afraid. I thought she was planting something bad,” Krokrone responded.
“Do you think had she not gone to the initiation school, this would have happened?” Sanqela posed.
“No and I regret finding myself here today in court,” Krokrone said.
He told the court he was a Grade 10 pupil and that should he be granted bail, he would go back to school. His mother was a part-time domestic worker and his father collected wood for a living.
He said he intended pleading “not guilty” in his trial.
State prosecutor Nomfusi Mtyobile asked the accused if Faku had entered the hut and he responded by saying by the time he woke up, she was standing at the doorway.
The prosecutor then asked him how the woman had died.
He said the woman was assaulted and she got cold as it was raining on the night in question.
“So the rain killed her, is that what you are saying?” Mtyobile shot.
“We heard from the police that she had passed away,” Krokrone replied.
“Did you know the deceased before December 24? What kind of person was she?” Mtyobile asked.
“Yes, we lived in the same village. I used to see her go to the village tip where she would collect old clothes,” Krokrone said.
The bail application was postponed to Monday awaiting further evidence.
Accused state fear of magic after murder victim’s threat
The five young men, aged between 16 and 19, applied for bail. They stand accused of killing Nolulamo “Lulu” Faku, 59, of Mncotsha village in Berlin.
Thembalethu Krokrone took to the stand and told magistrate Joel Ceasar that he was sleeping in his initiation hut when Faku arrived at the initiation school. He spoke in a low voice as his co-accused Luxolo Falo and Lukholo Pakade looked on from the dock.
Two minors have also been charged with murder but cannot be named because of their age. They were all in court yesterday.
“It was 11pm and I was woken up by other initiates in the hut. They informed me that there was a woman standing outside the hut. When I got out, she said ‘you are not to going to leave here alive’ and ‘you are not going to leave here in the numbers that you came in’,” Krokrone told the court.
He said fearing that she would start sprinkling black magic substances around their initiation hut, they started chasing her away.
“She refused to go and kept threatening us that we won’t come out of the school alive,” he said.
His attorney Mlibo Sanqela asked: “What was going on in your mind when that was happening? Did you not feel threatened by what she was saying?”
“I was afraid. I thought she was planting something bad,” Krokrone responded.
“Do you think had she not gone to the initiation school, this would have happened?” Sanqela posed.
“No and I regret finding myself here today in court,” Krokrone said.
He told the court he was a Grade 10 pupil and that should he be granted bail, he would go back to school. His mother was a part-time domestic worker and his father collected wood for a living.
He said he intended pleading “not guilty” in his trial.
State prosecutor Nomfusi Mtyobile asked the accused if Faku had entered the hut and he responded by saying by the time he woke up, she was standing at the doorway.
The prosecutor then asked him how the woman had died.
He said the woman was assaulted and she got cold as it was raining on the night in question.
“So the rain killed her, is that what you are saying?” Mtyobile shot.
“We heard from the police that she had passed away,” Krokrone replied.
“Did you know the deceased before December 24? What kind of person was she?” Mtyobile asked.
“Yes, we lived in the same village. I used to see her go to the village tip where she would collect old clothes,” Krokrone said.
The bail application was postponed to Monday awaiting further evidence.
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