Man seek protection order against sister-in-law over witchcraft accusations

A man from Marange area has sought court protection against his sister-in law  whom he claimed always accuse him of witch craft.

All this came to light after Michael Mudzipurwa dragged his sister-in-law to Mutare Civil Court praying for a protection order against her.

Mutare magistrate, Venencia Mugota presided over the matter.

Manica Post reported that Mudzipurwa told the court that his sister-in-law, Livious Mudzipurwa was tormenting him every day, accusing him of witchcraft. He said they were also accusing him of causing mysterious deaths in their family.

"Your Worship, I need the law to protect me from this woman. She is disturbing my peace, saying I am the one who caused his son's death after he was shot and died at his girlfriend's house," said Mudzipurwa.

Asked to respond to the allegations being levelled against her, Mudzipurwa's sister-in-law denied ever accusing him of witchcraft, but said he was the one who was in the habit of labeling her a witch.

"My brother-in-law should tell the story as it is. I am opposing his application. Some time back in December last year, my son was shot at his girlfriend's place of residence and died.

"He proposed that the funeral should be held at his homestead, but I refused. He insisted until it was agreed that my son's funeral should be held at his residential stand.

"It was an open space. The corpse was placed under the tree. During the funeral proceedings he was insulting me, labeling me a witch.

"The matter was even brought before Chief Marange and the chief ordered us to go for consultations because there were mysterious things which had happened during the funeral proceedings," said Mudzipurwa's sister-in-law.

However, Mudzipurwa denied all the allegations, saying all he wanted was co-existence between him and his sister-in-law.

"Besides all these allegations Your Worship, I just need the law to protect me because I can no longer withstand her abuse. Her child was buried under a tree which had one of my beehives and it fell into the grave as people were working on it.

"They are now saying it was a sign that I was the one who had caused my brother's son's death, yet it was a natural death. I now need the law to take its course," said the dejected Mudzipurwa.

Mugota then advised the pair to keep peace with each other since they had pending cases at the chief's court.

Mugota said: "Since you have pending issues at the chief's court, you should go back home and solve your differences amicably. However, you are ordered to keep peace with each other."