Traditional healer nabbed for raping two women after 'cleansing ceremonies'

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Durban - A traditional healer who allegedly performed cleansing ceremonies on two females and then raped them has been arrested. The 32-year-old traditional healer was arrested on Wednesday by the Pinetown Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit. According to police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker the first victim alleges that she met the 32-year-old traditional healer in a taxi on the way to Port Shepstone who told her that he could see that her family is under a dark cloud and he will have to go there and perform some sort of a traditional cleansing ceremony. "The girl agreed and a date was arranged for him to go to her family home in Ixopo where he performed a cleansing ceremony. "After he was done he told the family that he needed to take the lady with him to Durban for cleansing at the sea to which her family agreed," said Naicker.

Naicker said the ceremony was allegedly performed at South Beach in Durban.

"The victim was then taken to the suspects home in Clermont where the victim alleges that she was given a traditional concoction to drink by the suspect.

"After drinking the concoction she then fell dizzy and passed out, when she woke up later she realised that she had been raped."

Naicker said the second victim, a 27-year-old woman from Port Shepstone reported a rape case to KwaDabeka police in September.

"She alleged that the traditional healer had come to her home in Port Shepstone to perform a home cleansing ceremony. After he had completed the cleansing ceremony, he informed the family that he needed to take the 27-year-old with him back to Durban where he would further perform another cleansing on the woman to which the family agreed."

Naciker said following the cleansing ceremony at South Beach in Durban the suspect allegedly told the victim that they needed to go to his house where he was to thoroughly cleanse her for a few days.

"It is in this house where the lady was also given a concoction to drink after which she blacked out and when she woke up she realised she had been raped.

"She was locked in the house for several days and the ordeal continued until she managed to escape and report the incident to the police.

Naicker said detectives from Pinetown FCS managed to lure the traditional healer who was somewhere in the Empangeni back to Durban where he was arrested.

The suspect is expected to appear in the Pinetown Magistrate's Court on Friday.

IOL