News / Local
Sangoma spared jail over client's death
12 Nov 2013 at 02:42hrs | Views
A MAN died after a botched enema treatment by a traditional healer, a court heard yesterday. Everest Zulu, who had a history of mental illness, died after a mixture of powdered elephant root (intolwane) and 350ml of water was injected into his body.
Sitshengisiwe Mzobe (54) took responsibility for the botched bowel cleansing attempt when she appeared before a Bulawayo judge who was on circuit in Hwange.
Mzobe, of Chinotimba township in Victoria Falls, pleaded guilty to a charge of culpable homicide before Justice Martin Makonese who slapped her with a $500 fine or alternatively six months in prison.
The judge also conditionally set aside two years of her sentence.
Mzobe told the court that she only administered a teaspoon of intolwane mixed with water on Zulu, who was her nephew. Zulu had been terribly ill with an unknown ailment, she said.
"I was registered as a traditional healer before 1980 and re-registered in 1980 when regulations changed. I have been using intolwane on my clients since I was nine years old, when I started treating people," Mzobe told the court.
She said she did not anticipate any problems when she administered enema on Zulu.
Enema is a process of administering a herb on a person through the back into the stomach to ease constipation or tummy unrest (ukuphozisa in isiNdebele).
"I did not see anything bad because when he was brought to me he was suffering from constipation and when I gave him the medicine he started visiting the toilet. I believe he already had sores on his back because he was failing to sit properly," said Mzobe.
She said she only discovered after a week that Zulu's condition had further deteriorated and took him to a pharmacist.
Zulu reacted to the medicine from the pharmacy and developed some blisters on his privates, she said in her defence.
Justice Makonese warned herbalists to be careful when treating people.
"It's clear that you tried to save life but in the process life was lost. The court considers that you showed remorse and that this case took seven years to be completed," the judge told Mzobe before sentencing.
"Usually, first female offenders are not sent to jail unless if custodial sentence is the only option. The court also considered that ukuphozisa is a common practice in this part of the country but I should warn that such methods should be done with proper care."
In mitigation Mzobe, through her pro-deo lawyers, blamed the State for failing to prosecute her for seven years.
She also said the court should consider that Zulu was seriously ill and could have died of other causes.
Namatirai Ngwashi, for the State, said Zulu's mother had approached Mzobe after several fruitless visits to the hospital.
Zulu died at the Bulawayo United Hospitals on 27 November 2006 and Mzobe was subsequently arrested.
Sitshengisiwe Mzobe (54) took responsibility for the botched bowel cleansing attempt when she appeared before a Bulawayo judge who was on circuit in Hwange.
Mzobe, of Chinotimba township in Victoria Falls, pleaded guilty to a charge of culpable homicide before Justice Martin Makonese who slapped her with a $500 fine or alternatively six months in prison.
The judge also conditionally set aside two years of her sentence.
Mzobe told the court that she only administered a teaspoon of intolwane mixed with water on Zulu, who was her nephew. Zulu had been terribly ill with an unknown ailment, she said.
"I was registered as a traditional healer before 1980 and re-registered in 1980 when regulations changed. I have been using intolwane on my clients since I was nine years old, when I started treating people," Mzobe told the court.
She said she did not anticipate any problems when she administered enema on Zulu.
Enema is a process of administering a herb on a person through the back into the stomach to ease constipation or tummy unrest (ukuphozisa in isiNdebele).
"I did not see anything bad because when he was brought to me he was suffering from constipation and when I gave him the medicine he started visiting the toilet. I believe he already had sores on his back because he was failing to sit properly," said Mzobe.
She said she only discovered after a week that Zulu's condition had further deteriorated and took him to a pharmacist.
Zulu reacted to the medicine from the pharmacy and developed some blisters on his privates, she said in her defence.
Justice Makonese warned herbalists to be careful when treating people.
"It's clear that you tried to save life but in the process life was lost. The court considers that you showed remorse and that this case took seven years to be completed," the judge told Mzobe before sentencing.
"Usually, first female offenders are not sent to jail unless if custodial sentence is the only option. The court also considered that ukuphozisa is a common practice in this part of the country but I should warn that such methods should be done with proper care."
In mitigation Mzobe, through her pro-deo lawyers, blamed the State for failing to prosecute her for seven years.
She also said the court should consider that Zulu was seriously ill and could have died of other causes.
Namatirai Ngwashi, for the State, said Zulu's mother had approached Mzobe after several fruitless visits to the hospital.
Zulu died at the Bulawayo United Hospitals on 27 November 2006 and Mzobe was subsequently arrested.
Source - chronicle
