British Couple's Daughter Fears Killers Will Strike Again After Suspected Ritual Murder

The daughter of Anthony and Gillian Dinnis, an elderly British couple who disappeared from their South African farm three years ago, believes their killers may strike again. The couple, aged 73 and 78, were allegedly abducted by a gang of three armed men from their farm in Middelrus, KwaZulu-Natal. Their daughter, Kate Anderson, fears that because the perpetrators were released due to insufficient evidence, they pose an ongoing threat.

According to Anderson, one of the suspects allegedly confessed to police that the couple were victims of a 'Muti killing,' a ritual where body parts are used for black magic believed to confer special powers. The family suspects the couple's fingers and ears were severed for approximately £2,170 to be sold to a Sangoma, or witch doctor, while they were still alive.

Anthony Dinnis's diary entries stopped on Sunday, August 27, 2023, and the couple was reported missing the following day. Anderson noted no sign of a struggle but believes her mother, Gillian, may have been carried away, as her walking stick was left behind. A ransom demand for 2 million rand, later reduced to 50,000 rand, was received from Gillian's phone, but demands for proof of life went unanswered.

The gardener was reportedly the last person to see the couple. Police arrested the gardener and another suspect after finding Gillian's SIM card in the gardener's phone at a nearby church. Anderson claims to have seen the gardener's confession, detailing how three men abducted and killed the couple, severing body parts for sale in Johannesburg.

However, the suspect later alleged he was beaten into confessing, and a magistrate ruled the confession inadmissible. In June 2024, charges against the two men were withdrawn due to insufficient evidence, and the third suspect was never apprehended. "They've got away with it," Kate Anderson stated. "If they're short of money, they're going to do it again."

Anderson's warning comes as the family of Lorna McSorley, a British tourist who vanished in the same region in September 2025, continues to seek answers. McSorley disappeared while hiking with her partner. Locals believe she may have been a victim of 'muti' rituals, which sometimes involve human body parts for powerful charms and medicines. Her brother is pushing for her case to be treated as a murder investigation, not a missing persons inquiry, stating the family is in limbo without knowing her fate.

The KwaZulu-Natal region, where both incidents occurred, is known for strong 'muti' beliefs. While many rituals use plant or animal parts, some believe human body parts are necessary for the most potent magic, sought by individuals seeking wealth, protection, or political power.