A man walked free from court after killing his mother during a fight about witchcraft. Amad Nyathi faced charges for the death of his 69-year-old mother Sikhangele. The 47-year-old from Bulawayo had been accused of culpable homicide. Magistrate Matthew Mutiro ruled that Nyathi acted to protect himself. The judge said the man never meant to kill his mother.
The deadly fight started when Nyathi brought prophets to his home. These religious leaders told him his mother caused several family deaths through witchcraft. They said her altar clothes needed burning to clean the house. His mother became furious and attacked her son with violence. She hit him with a walking stick and threw a brick at his head.
The elderly woman grabbed her son's private parts for about 15 minutes. Neighbors watched the attack but stayed away because they thought she was possessed. Nyathi fought back and took the stick from his mother. He struck her several times on the head with the weapon. She ran to a neighbor's house and later died in hospital.
A neighbor named Siphathisiwe Mhlanga saw the whole incident. She testified that the mother chased her bleeding son around the yard. The woman claimed she had eaten her husband and grandchildren. Everyone feared going near her because she acted strangely. All witnesses agreed that Nyathi defended himself against a dangerous attack.
The deadly fight started when Nyathi brought prophets to his home. These religious leaders told him his mother caused several family deaths through witchcraft. They said her altar clothes needed burning to clean the house. His mother became furious and attacked her son with violence. She hit him with a walking stick and threw a brick at his head.
The elderly woman grabbed her son's private parts for about 15 minutes. Neighbors watched the attack but stayed away because they thought she was possessed. Nyathi fought back and took the stick from his mother. He struck her several times on the head with the weapon. She ran to a neighbor's house and later died in hospital.
A neighbor named Siphathisiwe Mhlanga saw the whole incident. She testified that the mother chased her bleeding son around the yard. The woman claimed she had eaten her husband and grandchildren. Everyone feared going near her because she acted strangely. All witnesses agreed that Nyathi defended himself against a dangerous attack.
