The man who stood in the Mpumalanga High Court (Mbombela) and confessed to digging up Albino teenager Gabisile Shabane’s body and sawing through her neck was given immunity from serving jail time.
Persecution of people with albinism (PWA) is based on the belief that certain body parts of albinistic people can transmit magical powers. Such superstition is widespread in parts of Africa.
Times Select reports that the court heard that John Magutshwa was given immunity by the state in exchange for crucial evidence to pin down Thokozani Msibi, the alleged mastermind behind Shabane’s abduction, killing and mutilation. Msibi, eSwatini traditional healer Mfanasibili Gamedze, teacher-turned-businessman Josiah Thubane and Knowledge Mhlanga broke into the Shabane home in January 2018 and abducted Gabisile at gunpoint.
Magutshwa, however, is not the only person who was involved in Shabane’s brutal murder who will never pay for his crimes. Mr X, who is in witness protection, is also a state witness. “If we (had) charged them, we (would not have had) witnesses to testify against the main accused, Msibi and Gamedze,” said prosecutor Ntsika Mpolweni.
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