Man lured and killed his girlfriend after sangoma promised him a snake for power

The Pretoria high court heard on Tuesday how Sebenzile Maphanga's body was mutilated, allegedly by a sangoma, Frans Nkuna, for a ritual designed to give her boyfriend Collen Mathonsi power. 

The court heard that Mathonsi had allegedly consulted Nkuna, who promised to give him a snake that would give him power if he provided a human body for body parts. 

Nkuna is standing trial for kidnapping and murdering Maphanga, whose charred and mutilated body was found in Dubai informal settlement, north of Pretoria, on October 11 2020. 

Mathonsi admitted to the murder and turned state witness in 2022. He was sentenced to 35 years’ imprisonment. 

On Tuesday, the court heard evidence from Sgt Molwantoa Rapakgadi, who said Mathonsi confessed to him how Maphanga was killed and about Nkuna's alleged involvement in the murder and pointed out where her body was dumped. 

Rapakgadi told the court that when he joined his two colleagues who were searching Mathonsi’s house on October 11 2020, Mathonsi approached him to confess. 

“Mathonsi asked them to give him a chance to talk to me,” Rapakgadi said. 

Rapakgadi said Mathonsi, who was training to be a healer, alleged that he was approached by Nkuna, who promised him a snake that would give him power if he provided a human body for its parts. Mathonsi also told Rapakgadi he approached Maphanga, pretended to love her and dated her for a short period. 

“Mathonsi went back to Nkuna and said he had found the lady,” Rapakgadi said. 

Mathonsi further confessed to Rapakgadi that he and Nkuna lured Maphanga, drugged her with a spiked drink and drove to his shack in Soshanguve Block KK. 

“On arrival, Nkuna hit the lady with a hammer on the head and she passed out. After she died, they cut off her hands and legs. I asked him about the blood because we didn't find blood. He said Nkuna took the blood, the legs and hands, and they also drank some of the blood,” he said. 

Rapakgadi said when he asked Mathonsi where the body was, he pointed to a nearby dump site. 

Mathonsi told the investigating officer he dumped her remains, put a tyre on top of her and burnt her. 

Rapakgadi said when the search team was called in, Maphanga’s charred mutilated body was discovered. He said Mathonsi had willingly confessed without coercion. 

However, the defence’s case is that Nkuna does not know Mathonsi or anything about the murder. 

In his plea statement, Mathonsi admitted to Maphanga's murder on October 3 2020 in Soshanguve Block KK. 

Mathonsi further admitted that after luring Maphanga to his car, Nkuna hit her on the head with a wooden stick, causing her to lose consciousness, and she was then taken to Mathonsi's shack. 

Mathonsi Nkuna then hit Maphanga several times on the head with a hammer. He then cut off her arms and legs with a knife he found in Mathonsi's shack, he said in his plea statement. 

“Nkuna then put the arms and legs of the deceased in a bag and left my premises with the bag, instructing me to dispose of the body and clean up my premises.” 

The case will continue on Thursday.