A pastor and two women have appeared in court in connection with the alleged murder of a four-month-old baby and a series of other serious offences allegedly committed against the child’s mother.
Pastor Caiphus Mkhawane, 36, Tsako Angel Makhubela, 25, and Amanda Manono Mnguni, 32, appeared briefly before the Atteridgeville Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, all three accused face charges of conspiracy to commit murder and fraud.
Mkhawane and Makhubela face additional charges of human trafficking, premeditated murder, rape, two counts of kidnapping and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The charges stem from an incident in which the accused allegedly targeted the mother and her four-month-old child under the pretext of performing religious rituals.
The NPA alleges that in August 2026, several funeral policies were taken out in the name of the woman, who is the mother of the deceased baby.
On October 7, Mkhawane, Makhubela and the woman allegedly travelled to the Hennops River under the pretence of performing religious rituals to free her from evil spirits and protect her children.
Upon arriving near the river, the two accused allegedly instructed the woman to undress and tied her up. Makhubela allegedly washed her using water from a bucket before the pastor took her to the river, leaving the baby with Makhubela.
At the river, Mkhawane allegedly washed the woman again before raping her.
After the alleged rape, the pastor reportedly returned to collect the baby from Makhubela. The two then allegedly went into nearby bushes, where they killed the infant.
The woman allegedly managed to escape and reported the incident to construction workers in the area, who assisted her in contacting the police.
Following an investigation by Erasmia detectives, Makhubela was arrested on October 7 after the woman allegedly identified her. Mnguni was arrested later that day, while Mkhawane was arrested on October 10.
The matter was postponed to October 16 for legal aid representation and further bail investigations.
The NPA said it remained committed to ensuring that perpetrators of gender-based violence and related offences were held accountable through the criminal justice system.
The accused have not yet been convicted and remain entitled to the presumption of innocence.
