TERRIBLE SUPERSTITION

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 October 1928, Page 9

TERRIBLE SUPERSTITION

MURDER TO BRING RAIN.

Two cases were before the Court in Bulawayo recently of natives; murdering twins in accordance with native law. It is the belief of the blacks that to kill twins ensures a good rainfall, the process adopted being strangulation with a grass rope, placing the bodies of the victims in a pot, and throwing them into a river. The parents in these eases were not accused, but tho grandparents and a mother-in-law were; one mother, however, said that she did not object. She had not fed the children since their birth, as it was against native law. This custom has been followed for many years. One of the cases before the Court having occurred several years ago the Judge said it was undesirable to go back too far, or half the natives in the country would be in Court. He passed sentence of death in each case, but expressed tho view that it was not likely to be carried out. The custom, he explained, was one which Europeans were seeking to eradicate, but tho accused in each case had pleaded that they were unaware they were committing/any criminal act: they were acting according to their law.