Gruesome muti-murder: first-ever known incident where an Afrikaans-speaking man is accused of a muti-murder (slaughtering a person and harvesting the body parts for resale to a witcdoctor).
Local Swartruggens builder Eduard Pretorius, 33 is to appear in Swartruggens court on Feb 7 2014: the SAPS says he 's charged with slaughtering Maria Mathe, 25, and that he has confessed that he was offered R30,000 for her body-parts by a local witch-doctor: Her breasts and private parts were cut off. Her stomach was cut open from her navel to her chest.
The post-mortem revealed that her heart and lungs were also removed. The witchdoctor has not been arrested.
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Swartruggens – “They were caught on camera playing pool in what is believed to be the same hour as her murder,” Mariana of Theo’s Discount Liquor store and Sportsbar told the Platinum Weekly.
This is surely the most gruesome muti-murder the Platinum Weekly has ever reported on. After the 25-year-old’s face was smashed in with a rock, she was “slaughtered”.
Her breasts and private parts were cut off. Her stomach was cut open from her navel to her chest. The post-mortem revealed that her heart and lungs were also removed.
“The Afrikaans speaking guy who left the pub with Maria Mathe was also fluent in Setswana... He was a builder. He is well-known for doing odd jobs and being employed at local building projects.
He also worked at a local cafe for a period of time,” the Platinum Weekly was told.33 year- old Eduard Pretorius appeared in the Swartruggens Magistrate’s Court on Friday( the 31st January 2014) on charges of murder, mutilation and rape.
He and the case was postponed to 7 February 2014 for bail application.The Platinum Weekly received an anonymous tip-off that Mr Pretorius, when arrested, confessed to the murder.
We were also told that he indicated that he was offered R30 000 by a local “witch-doctor” to commit the murder and retrieve the body parts. We were unable to confirm the confession and the “witch-doctor”s involvement.
Mathe who is fondly known to locals as “Tantantjie”’s body was discovered on Sunday (26 Jan) at around 15hoo in a bush just behind Theo’s. “She was a regular at the pool table. She was a loner and rather shy,” Mariana of Theo’s in Swartruggens said.
According to Captain Pelonomi Makau, “The woman was discovered half-naked, wearing only a pink T-shirt, with no shoes or underwear.”
Anyone with information to contact the Swartruggens police station on 014 544 0002/ 082 575
http://www.platinumweekly.co.za/articleA366.html
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