Girl dies after exorcism attempt

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An Umlazi teenager, accused by relatives of being possessed by demons, was tortured for three days and then brutally murdered. Sinethemba Dlamini, 15, was left lying on the lounge floor with her intestines next to her at her home in K-Section. Five relatives, who allegedly killed the teenager during a bizarre, three-day exorcism, have been charged with murder. Police from the Bhekithemba Police Station were called to the gruesome scene on Saturday morning after one of the accused alerted them to the teenager’s death. Sinethemba lived with a relative after the death of her mother a few years ago.

On Tuesday, the teenager’s aunts, Fundiswa Faku, 29, Lindela Jabulani, 38, her daughters Minenhle Jabulani, 19, a 17-year-old minor, and Nonhlanhla Mdletshe, girlfriend of Sinethemba’s father, 30, appeared on murder charges in the uMlazi Magistrate’s Court.

They were remanded in custody and the matter was adjourned to Monday for a bail application.

KZN police spokesman, Captain Thulani Zwane, confirmed the incident and said a case of murder was being investigated.

“She was allegedly killed after her attackers accused her of being possessed by demons.”

A police source said the accusation of being demon possessed came after she had become very withdrawn in recent weeks.

Her ordeal began last Wednesday when she returned home from school. She was allegedly repeatedly assaulted with a broom, the source said.

People believed a demon was living in her and kept hitting her all over her body with a broom in an attempt to get the demon to leave her, the source said.

The source said people who prayed for the youngster claimed to be members of a local religious organisation.

At about midnight on Friday, the teenager attempted to escape from the group.

They caught her and allegedly continued to beat her, the source said.

Sinethemba died after her intestines were pulled out through her vagina, the source said.

“The child died almost immediately.

“It was a horrific, brutal death. After the intestines were removed, they allegedly waited for her to wake up and be free of the demon. They claimed that by removing the intestines she would be cured.”

The source claimed the attackers continued to pray and waited for more than three hours for her to wake up.

“At about 3am, when they realised she was dead, one of them contacted the police. Police at the scene were traumatised and shocked. It all seemed so unreal. This was an innocent child who kept to herself...”