A 32-year-old man who posed as a traditional healer to gain a family’s trust has received a harsh life sentence for the horrific kidnapping and repeated rape of their 15-year-old daughter. 

“Before the incident, the man’s uncle had advertised that his nephew (the accused) was a traditional healer and provided his cellphone number on air,” said Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, NPA Regional Spokesperson in Nkandla. “The girl’s family heard the advertisement and called the man over to their home to perform a cleansing ceremony.”

After embedding himself in the family’s home for several days under the guise of his healing practice, the perpetrator made his move. “He then advised them that he had invited his entire congregation to come over and pray, and asked the girl’s mother to go and buy food for all these people,” Ramkisson-Kara described.

With the mother absent, the man kidnapped the vulnerable teen and transported her to two different locations over multiple days while evading detection. “He kidnapped her, took her to Eshowe and then to the Emazambaneni area, where he held her captive and raped her on several occasions,” Ramkisson-Kara explained. 

The emotional and physical pain inflicted through this prolonged assault still haunts the survivor today. “In her statement, the girl indicated that she is sad when she sees the maidens going to the reed dance, as she cannot participate anymore. She further stated that she feels very ashamed and embarrassed by what happened to her and is now afraid of men as she still has flashbacks about the incident,” said Regional Prosecutor Nozipho Mthethwa.

Thankfully, the missing teen was finally spotted in public allowing police intervention to end the torment. “Then a few days later, she went to a nearby shop, and someone there recognised her. This is because her family had reported her missing and placed her photo in a local newspaper as well as on social media. The police were called, and the man was arrested,” Ramkisson-Kara stated. 

Through swift prosecution and sentencing, officials delivered a measure of justice to the survivor and put other criminals exploiting cultural authority on warning. But the trauma unleashed through manipulation of trust may irreparably scar yet another young life.