Healer linked to murders remanded in custody
Durban — A traditional healer linked to the murder of two women from Chesterville will spend two weeks behind bars awaiting his bail application date.
Simphiwe Abraham Mhlaba appeared in the Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court for allegedly assassinating the 48-year-old Patricia Jeza and the 22-year-old Queen Jeza. Mhlaba was remanded in custody and is expected to apply for bail on March 4.
The bodies of the victims were found dumped near the Umngeni River in Emachobeni, Inanda on Saturday.
Mhlaba, who was arrested on Saturday, is accused of orchestrating the hit.
Four suspects believed to be behind the murder of the two victims died in a shoot-out with police on Saturday.
The mother and her daughter had been reported missing.
On Saturday, the police gathered intelligence about the suspects who were believed to be on their way to perform cleansing rituals at Mpophomeni.
The suspects’ vehicle was intercepted in the Eskebheni area in uMzinyathi. Police signalled for the driver of the suspects’ vehicle to stop.
Colonel Robert Netshiunda, spokesperson for the KwaZulu-Natal police, said the suspects retaliated by shooting at the police officers. In response, the police officers returned fire, killing all four men.
The Daily News has been reliably informed that the slain mother had gone to fetch her R300 000 which she had allegedly invested in a Ponzi scheme with the hope of earning monthly interest.
It is alleged that the duo went to fetch their money after realising that they had been scammed, as the monthly interest was no longer deposited into their bank account.
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Daily News