Couple acquitted in taxi business witchcraft case

A Figtree couple who were charged with sending a mobile phone message accusing a relative of sucking blood from one of them to enhance her taxi business in Bulawayo yesterday heaved a sigh of relief when they were acquitted of charges of imputing witchcraft.
 Sicelukwazi and Jane Khumalo pleaded not guilty to indicating witches and wizards when they appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Merylene Mtshina.
 The couple was found not guilty and acquitted at the close of the State case after the magistrate ruled that the State had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
 "It is not in dispute that the accused sent the complainant, a message on July 31," Mtshina said.
 "The question before the court is whether the message indicated that the complaint was a witch.
"The answer is no. The message consists of information that was being communicated to the complainant pertaining to problems that were affecting the lives of both accused persons, ie, the manifestation of a spirit which claimed to be complainant's goblin.
"There is nowhere in the message that points out or indicates the complainant a witch."
Prosecutor Paidamoyo Zengeni had told the court that on July 31, Jane and her husband Sicelukwazi sent a message to her sister Busani Moyo who operates taxis in Bulawayo to the effect that she was being haunted by goblins.
 She said the goblins were claiming to be originating from her. The message read "There is a problem NaMzi (Moyo) there is a goblin which manifests ku NaThe (in Jane).
The goblin said it came from you and wanted blood from Jane for your taxi business. So it is wise that we go and see Mpofus."
 After reading the message, Moyo made a police report alleging that her sister and her husband were accusing her of being a witch.
The couple was arrested and brought before the courts.