SARAH Thobela says her husband had so many nyatsis over the years that she lost count.

And on Thursday he was sjambokked to death by an angry mob who accused him of raping his latest nyatsi’s two granddaughters aged six and seven.

But according to Sarah her husband Sonti Nyoni (63) was killed for a crime he didn’t commit.

The gogo from Gugwini near Komatipoort in Mpumalanga told Daily Sun: “Yes, my husband loved women and was a serial cheater – but he wasn’t a rapist.

“It was his nyatsi who fed residents lies so she could keep the money he had made building houses in the area.”

Sarah said her husband would often leave home for weeks to be with his nyatsis.

At the time of his death he had spent two weeks with his lover.

“He was paid a lot of money on Thursday and he gave it to his nyatsi to keep. He was supposed to come home that day but she wouldn’t hand over the cash.

“I know she paid the kids to lie so she could keep the money, which she now denies knowing about.”

Sonti’s son Sam (24) said they had been told the nyatsi gave the kids R10 each to lie.

“If my father was a rapist he would have done it to my stepsisters, which never happened,” he said.

The nyatsi told the SunTeam she didn’t lie, but wouldn’t say more.

The nyatsi’s brother said he tried to rescue Sonti from the crowd but there were too many of them.

Sergeant Gerald Sedibe confirmed the incident.

He said Sonti died on Monday from his injuries. Cases of murder and rape were opened but no arrests have been made.