Man Caught With Human Head

"PACK your things and get out of our community!"

This is the angry message that residents have given Edward Phiri (32) and all other sangomas who live in Lebaleng township, near Makwassie Hills, North West, this week.

"If you don't leave, we will take the law in our own hands," residents threatened.

Phiri is the Lesotho sangoma who led cops to the severed head of Ezekiel Leseisane on the roof of his shack. Leseisane's decapitated body was found in the graveyard last Monday.

It's alleged that sangoma Phiri allegedly hired Daniel Letlhonye (24) and Joseph Ramphae (20) to dig up a grave at Lebaleng Cemetery and remove the head of a corpse. It's believed Phiri wanted the head because another sangoma allegedly instructed him that the head of a dead person would take away the bad luck he'd been having with his business. The three men appeared briefly in the Wolmaransstad Magistrates Court on Monday on a charge of disturbing a gravesite.

 Phiri escorted cops to his shack and showed them where he had hidden the head – inside a tyre on top of the roof. Leseisane's family have positively identified the head that had been crushed to fit inside a schoolbag. The story first appeared in Daily Sunlast Thursday. James Moloja (45), the owner of the house where the sangomas are renting rooms, said he didn't have anything to say about the incident except to plead with cops to protect them as they fear for their lives.

Residents' spokesman Reginald Moopelwa (42) said they will not rest until the sangomas have left the kasi.

"We couldn't find them, but we are not finished with them. We don't want them living among us," said Reginald.

Makwassie Hills mayor Gaamong Gabi said steps will be taken to tighten up security. She added that they will employ a person to control access to the cemetery and keep a record of visitors. She said the cops were able to control the situation and disperse the crowd without any incidents. dailysun