'Witch' caught on top of a house, demanding human flesh

The Mbare Magistrates' courtyard on Thursday came to a standstill when a suspected witch started behaving strangely and refused to enter the courtroom in police handcuffs.

The 'witch', Christabel Rwodzi (21), of Mhuriro Village under Chief Murambwa in Mhondoro, was found naked on top of a house in Sunningdale last week. At first, she refused to disembark from the police van that ferried her to court as she appeared to be in a trance.

The State is alleging that when she besieged the Sunningdale house belonging to one Aaron Maforo (52) she demanded to EAT his (Marafo's) late grandfather's flesh. She is facing a charge of Criminal Trespass and she was meant to appear before magistrate Rueben Mukavhi. Magistrate Mukavhi had to remand her in absentia under the Mental Health Act to 28 August for trial after she displayed behaviour that compelled the magistrate to question her sanity.

Allegations are that on 14 August, at around 12am, Aaron was asleep in his house when he heard some foot steps on top of the roof. He then went out to investigate accompanied by his son and failed to identify the source of the noise on the roof.

Further allegations are that Christabel then threw bricks at the duo forcing them to scurry for cover. State counsel Lawrence Gangarahwe is alleging that Aaron and his son then saw Christabel and ordered her to come down the roof.

It took her 15 minutes, it is alleged, and when asked to explain her conduct she claimed she was of Greek origin and was looking for Trish who is Aaron's late grandfather. She allegedly told them that she was a Greek and she was looking for Trish whose flesh she wanted to eat.

Residents then thronged the house and mobbed Christabel who was still naked.