'Mbobobo man terrorises suburb by having sex with any woman he wants'

A married man from Bulawayo's Cowdray Park is allegedly terrorising residents by using umbobobo (magical powers to have sex with someone without their consent) to sleep with women in the suburb.

Angry residents who want him removed from the suburb have held meetings and approached his wife for assistance.

They alleged Lawrence Svinurai of Hlalani Kuhle section has been using the magical powers on women for at least two years.

"We are afraid of this man and the powers he possesses. When he sees a woman that he wants, he plays with himself and immediately starts enjoying sex with her. He will be tapping his foot and the woman suddenly feels as if she is being intimate," said a resident.

A woman who claims to have been violated told Bulawayo24 News she saw Svinurai standing at the door to his house in February and he was looking at her strangely.

"I was waiting for a friend on the road when I saw him staring at me. He put his hand into his trousers and started touching his manhood. He was tapping his foot on the ground at the same time. Suddenly I felt as if I was being intimate with someone," said the woman who declined to be named.

She said she was shaken by the incident and when she told her friends, several said they had experienced the same thing with Svinurai.

The chairperson of the residents association, Tito Gumbo confirmed the story saying a number of women have complained to him about Svinurai.

"We have had complaints and have held meetings with residents. We have been to his home several times but he has always been out. Residents really believe Svinurai has Mbobobo and they are not happy about it," said Gumbo.

Svinurai's wife, Sharon confirmed that members of the residents association had come several times looking for her husband.

"They have been here about three times looking for my husband but they have never told me why," said Sharon.

Bongani Ncube who is one of Svinurai's neighbours said he was afraid of Svinurai.

"For all I know, he could have had sex with my wife dozens of times without her knowledge or consent. He is a very bad man and should be removed from the suburb," said Ncube.

A traditional healer from Makokoba suburb, Gogo Masilela, yesterday said Mbobobo was evil magic that really exists.

"The country's laws say there is no witchcraft. The truth is it is there. Mbobobo is very bad magic that is used by men who are cowards and are afraid to propose to women. It is prevalent in areas like Chipinge. The Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (ZINATHA) has banned its members from assisting clients to acquire it," said Gogo Masilela.

She said while a woman cannot fall pregnant or catch diseases through Mbobobo sex, it was an unacceptable practice that is worse than physical rape.