Krugersdorp murders: 'There was darkness over my child' - Mikeila's mom

Mikeila Valentine‚ the late wife of one of the people accused of the Krugersdorp murders‚ left the Rhema Bible College when she joined Overcomers Through Christ because she was told Rhema was controlled by Satanists.

Valentine‚ 25‚ a travel agent‚ was killed in a stabbing frenzy at her Ruimsig‚ Johannesburg‚ home in October 2012.

Her husband‚ former insurance broker Zak Valentine‚ 33‚ along with Cecilia Steyn‚ 37 - believed to be the leader of a sect that was formed after a split in the Overcomers group - and Marcel Steyn‚ 20‚ are accused of murdering 11 people from 2012 to 2016‚ as well as robbery‚ aggravated assault‚ racketeering‚ possession of an unlicensed firearm‚ fraud and identity theft. Three other people are serving lengthy jail sentences in connection with the killing spree‚ including Marcel’s mother and brother.

Mikeila's mother Ilse van Dyk told the South Gauteng High Court on Wednesday that her daughter had been studying ministry at the Rhema Bible College when she met Zak.

After joining Overcomers Through Christ‚ Mikeila told her mother that she was going to abandon her studies.

"She said she was going to leave her studies because Rhema Bible College was controlled by Satanists‚" Van Dyk said.

She said she then noticed a change in her daughter's spiritual and physical makeup after the Overcomers Through Christ grouping split.

"There was a cloud of darkness. She couldn't think straight. She said stupid things like Cecilia told her she was dirty because of her past.

"She was just regressing. One day she was shaving her hair‚ the other day she was dying it blonde. It's like there was a battle inside her‚" said an emotional Van Dyk.

She said Mikeila only sought help at the end when she wanted to leave the group.

"I was telling her that those people were lying to them. She only sought my advice right at the end‚ just before her death."

Zak‚ according to Van Dyk‚ was a good husband and son-in-law who took care of her daughter financially.

Their financial situation‚ however‚ changed when Mikeila told Van Dyk that they gave all their money to Cecilia‚ who claimed she would give it to an orphanage.

Van Dyk said she had visited Overcomers Through Christ from time to time because she found nothing wrong with their teachings.

"The changes started after the split [in the Overcomers group]. That's when Mikeila and Zak started getting tattoos and that's when there was darkness over my child."

She said Mikeila and Zak thought they were doing "good" things for God when they were in the ministry‚ which was headed by Cecilia.

But‚ she said‚ "Mikeila was not spontaneous anymore. She was not laughing."

She said a week before she died‚ Mikeila visited her.

"She asked if I know any lawyer(s) because people who had left the ministry were dying. She said ‘I'm going to leave the ministry’. She said there was something wrong there."

A week before her death‚ Mikeila was crying a lot and she seemed confused‚ her mother said.

"It's like she had realised she had done something wrong. She was adamant in her decision [that she wanted to leave Cecilia's ministry]."

She said she last saw her daughter on a Sunday when she and Zak had joined her for lunch.

"When I saw her that Sunday‚ there was light again over her. When she came up the stairs‚ she was so beautiful. It was like the Mikeila I knew‚" Van Dyk said‚ breaking down in tears.

When she visited Mikeila and Zak's house after she had been found dead‚ Van Dyk said the latter was "absent minded" and "unemotional".

She said she asked Zak if her daughter was a Satanist and he said no.

Mikeila had written Bible verses on the walls of the house she and Zak lived in‚ prior to her death‚ Van Dyk said.

The emotional mother told the court that her daughter's death had left a gaping hole in her heart.

"As a parent‚ you are not meant to lose your child in such a horrific way.

"It's like your heart got pulled out of your chest by force.

"If she had died in an accident or of natural causes‚ it would have been easy. It's wrong that her life was taken‚" said Van Dyk‚ breaking down.

The trial continues.