Siblings up for murder, strangle granny over witchcraft

 A PLUMTREE man and his sister allegedly murdered their grandmother accusing her of witchcraft, before reporting the matter to police as sudden death, the Chronicle reports.

Jubilant Ndlovu, 23, and Privilege, 27, both of Mlomwe village appeared before Justice Maxwell Takuva facing murder charges in connection with the death of their granny, Thoko Ncube, 62, seven months ago.

Prosecuting, Sifiso Ndlovu said on March 1 this year shortly after 6AM, the two siblings hatched a plan to kill their grandmother on allegations that she was bewitching them.

The court heard that Jubilant and Privilege went to Ncube's homestead in the company of their 15-year-old niece.

"On arrival at Ncube's home, they found the old woman cuddling her two-year-old granddaughter. They exchanged greetings after which Jubilant sprang from his chair and strangled his grandmother," said Ndlovu.

Privilege then joined her brother and pinned down the old woman. Jubilant then took a knobkerrie and struck his grandmother three times on the head as she lay helplessly on the floor. Ncube collapsed and died on the spot.

Soon after committing the crime, the pair covered her body with a blanket and went to a police station where they reported the case as sudden death, the court heard.

Privilege pleaded guilty while her brother admitted killing her grandmother, but said he did not do it intentionally as he was under the influence of dagga. The trial continues today.