A case of misguided healing has ended in tragedy, with a Makhanda-based spiritual practitioner sentenced in connection with the death of a young boy following a controversial treatment involving excessive water intake.
A spiritual healer in the Eastern Cape town of Makhanda has been handed a suspended prison sentence following the death of a 10-year-old child, Agcobile Busakwe, who succumbed to complications after being subjected to an unorthodox healing ritual. The treatment involved ingesting and being infused with an estimated 15 litres of water.
Ntombentsha Limbo was convicted of culpable homicide and sentenced to nine years imprisonment, which has been suspended for five years. The sentence was handed down following the harrowing events of 4 October 2023, when the child died shortly after undergoing a series of physically extreme treatments at Limbo’s residence.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Luxolo Tyali, the boy’s father had turned to Limbo after voicing concerns about his son’s health and deteriorating academic performance.
“The boy’s father approached Limbo for assistance when he expressed concerns about his son’s health and academic performance,”
said Tyali.
Upon their arrival, Limbo proposed what she described as spiritual healing methods. However, the recommended procedures quickly spiralled into a series of extreme acts that would prove fatal for the young boy.
“Initially, Limbo instructed the boy and his father to consume five litres of salted water, intending to induce vomiting,”
Tyali explained.
Despite the boy being in good spirits prior to the treatment—engaging in cheerful conversation and appearing healthy—the method failed to have the desired effect. He only managed to vomit a fraction of the liquid—approximately 750 millilitres.
As the boy’s condition worsened, he began complaining of headaches and a feeling of fatigue. At this stage, Limbo claimed to have seen a vision indicating that the boy was suffering from an internal ailment and advised the use of an enema. The boy’s father, though hesitant, consented to the continued treatment.
“During the procedure, the boy’s condition deteriorated significantly. Crying out in distress, he pleaded with his father to stop the treatments, proclaiming that he felt he was going to die.”
Despite these desperate pleas, Limbo assured the father that the boy’s discomfort was caused by evil spirits resisting the healing. She insisted that the treatment continue.
“Limbo assured the father that evil spirits preventing the healing process were the cause of his son’s discomfort,”
said Tyali.
The boy was subjected to multiple enemas, one of which contained Sunlight laundry soap. In addition, water was poured into his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, as Limbo persisted with her ritualistic attempts to expel what she claimed were malevolent forces.
Only when the child began foaming at the mouth did the severity of the situation become undeniable. In a frantic attempt to save his life, the boy’s father rushed him to a local clinic. Tragically, medical staff were unable to revive him.
In court, expert testimony underscored the fatal risk associated with such treatments. A medical doctor stated that the ingestion of so much water would be extremely dangerous, even for a fully grown adult.
“Timely medical intervention could have saved the boy’s life,”
said the doctor during trial proceedings, highlighting that the sheer volume of water introduced into the child’s body had overwhelmed his system.
Limbo’s defence in court failed to provide justification for her decision to proceed with the treatment despite clear signs of the boy’s declining condition and his overt cries for help.
“Limbo did not offer a strong defense during cross-examination for continuing the child’s treatment despite the worsening condition and the child’s pleas for help,”
Tyali confirmed.
The case has drawn widespread attention to the dangers of unchecked traditional healing practices, particularly when vulnerable individuals are subjected to extreme procedures under the guise of spiritual care.
Under no circumstances should we entrust our children or ourselves to medical practitioners who are not properly accredited or certified.
