Mpumalanga mother denies trying to sacrifice three-year-old son in fire

A mother accused of attempting to sacrifice her three-year-old son in order to get rich has denied ever attempting to kill the boy.

Speaking to African Eye News Agency from her holding cell at the Matsulu police station, Nelly Jawuki, 25, said she was not even in Matsulu at the time of the crime.

"I love my son; I would never burn him. It is all lies. I don’t know why the devil wants to see me in shame. He was staying with my neighbour and I was not around Matsulu," said a very emotional Jawuki.

The mom said she was shocked when the police arrested her at her home in Tonga.

She said the police showed her the burnt shack in Matsulu and that she had lost everything, even her identity documents.

Mpumalanga police spokesman Brigadier Selvy Mohlala told AENS that Jawuki and husband, Cedric Mkhonto, 29, were arrested on October 16 after being tracked down to a hideout in Tonga.

"The couple, who are sangomas, are accused of wanting to burn and kill their baby in Matsulu to perform a ritual that they believed would make him rich. They allegedly made a ring of fire... and tied the baby to a plank, using ropes. They placed him on top of the fire to sacrifice him and were sitting around the fire naked. A neighbour heard the baby crying and called for help from the community," said Mohlala.

The two appeared in the Matsulu periodical court on Thursday, where their bail application was postponed for the second time.

They have not been asked to plead to attempted murder.

The case was postponed to November 26 for bail application to allow the couple's Legal Aid lawyers to prepare for the application.

- African Eye News Service