Retail outlet used juju on looters?

COVER Supermarkets owner, Mr Bulisani Tshuma, has denied allegations that it is because he uses juju, which has resulted in people who looted from his shops dotted around Bulawayo during the recent violent protests returning the goods.

The violent stayaway held two weeks ago saw many retailers in the high density suburbs emptied and vandalised.

Word has been rounds in the city that some of those who looted from Mr Tshuma's shops were either dumping the goods in the bush, returning them to the shops or handing themselves in and the goods to the police fearing threats of juju on them.

Bulawayo police deputy provincial spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said the police have recovered a lot of loot dumped in the bush.

"We have recovered many items discarded in the bush especially in areas such as Entumbane, Ngozi Mine, Nketa and Nkulumane," said Insp Ncube.

Speaking on condition of anonymity one of the women who confessed looting at Cover Supermarket in Pumula said she decided to return the goods in fear of attracting bad luck.

"Most of the people looted, I looted too but I decided to give police all the goods I took during the protest. I did not know that the owner of Cover Supermarket was one of the congregants at church (name withheld). I handed the goods fearing that something bad might happen to me," she told Sunday News.

Contacted for a comment, Mr Tshuma confirmed that people where returning the goods but denied ever threatening them with the use of juju or anything even consulting a prophet.

"Yes, people are returning the goods not directly to me or the shops but rather to the police. As a Christian like anyone if anything happens I pray and cry to God. What is so special about my prayer that they may return the goods? They are returning the goods because of guilty consciences, also as the police are doing door-to-door searches, it does not mean that I prayed for them to have bad luck or used any muthi. I do not know what is pushing them to return the goods probably because the police are intensifying their recovery efforts.

"As for my faith I worship the Almighty God and Jesus Christ himself. It is fortunate or unfortunate that when a black person succeed in life they are given all forms of labels. They are also accused of having a certain force behind their success because our minds have been colonised to think that a black person cannot prosper without using some supernatural forces," said Mr Tshuma.