Father's Trust in Spiritual Healer Leads to 10-Year-Old's Death, Healer Sentenced

• A spiritual healer in the Eastern Cape has been sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment following the death of a 10-year-old boy
• This follows the boy’s father taking him to the healer due to concerns about his academic performance and health
• The boy collapsed and died after receiving unconventional treatment from the Makhanda healer

A spiritual healer from Makhanda in the Eastern Cape was sentenced to nine years imprisonment, suspended for five years, by the Makhanda Regional Court for culpable homicide. This comes after a 10-year-old boy died after consulting and receiving treatment from the healer.

What happened to the boy?

On 4 October 2023, 10-year-old Agcobile Busakwe was accompanied by his father to consult the spiritual healer due to concerns about his health and academic performance. Upon arrival, the father explained the reason for the consultation, to which the healer, Ntombentsha Limbo, suggested a treatment before the consultation.

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According to a statement by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the child was physically active and made jokes with his father at the time of the consultation. Limbo began the treatment by instructing the boy and his father to each drink five litres of salted water to cause them to vomit.

The father managed to finish the salted water, but the boy struggled, leaving about 750 ml of the water, without vomiting much. The boy soon began to feel unwell, complaining of headaches and sleepiness.

After vomiting, the boy went to sleep on the couch with his head resting on his father's lap. Limbo, busy treating other patients, returned to the father and recommended that an enema be done on Agcobile, to which the father agreed. Limba made five more litres of water and performed the enema.

The boy's condition worsened

After the boy grew weaker, he started to cry and told his father that he was going to die. Limbo told the father that it could be the evil spirit that is fighting back against the treatment. More water was prepared, this time with sunlight soap added. Limbo also poured water into Agcobile's eyes, ears, nostrils and mouth to remove the evil spirit.

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Seeing the condition of the boy, Limbo contacted her mentor for advice, who advised the healer to call an ambulance. The father noticed that his son was foaming at the mouth and struggling to breathe, and decided to run to the clinic. Upon Agcobile's arrival at the clinic in Joza, the boy died.

What happened at the trial?

At the trial, regional court prosecutor Khwezikazi Mankonti led the evidence of the father and a medical doctor.

According to NPA regional spokesperson Luxolo Tyali, the medical doctor said that the boy could have been saved if he had got medical attention earlier. He also said that even an adult would not be able to survive after receiving 15 litres of water.

"She admitted all the treatment and the manner in which she performed same. She did not deny any of the evidence of the state even under examination in chief. She only disputed having caused the death of the deceased," Tyali said.

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Limbo said under cross-examination that she thought that the boy was faking to avoid being treated because most of the children she treats do this.

Netizens react to the incident

South Africans shared their views about the sentencing of the healer:

Mokoena Momo said:

"I always say... Too much of everything is dangerous. Water is healthy, but too much of it is deadly. This could've been avoided if rational logic was applied."

Mokone Wa Bokone said:

"What a stupid and gullible father."

Carmen Mocke said:

"This is abuse of power, child abuse, religious abuse and a fool poking and prodding into a child. Who puts so much water in to any human."

Sivuyile Vuyelele said:

"The boy was failed by his father."

Sphamandla Rafael said:

"How sad that the life of a boy is no more because of two foolish adults."

Jodi Mokgadi said:

"The father should have been prosecuted too. He took the child to this so called healer."

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Fake traditional healers scam client out of R3 million

Two men, Kiseka Rashid (46) and Tony Lubenga (34), have each been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being found guilty of fraud and violating section 49 of the Immigration Act.

The pair posed as traditional healers and scammed a client out of R3 million, allegedly convincing him to resign from his job and hand over his pension, promising to multiply the money.

Source: Briefly News