News / National
Man uses daughter to appease avenging spirit
04 Apr 2014 at 11:45hrs | Views
A 41-year-old Nyanga man was last week found guilty of giving away his daughter to another family in a bid to meet the demands of an avenging spirit that had requested 10 head of cattle as compensation.
Revai Nyakarange (41) pleaded guilty to handing over his daughter (14) to Mutava Jairasi Mukanga, saying an avenging spirit was causing deaths in his family. Nyakarange stands accused of causing the death of Mukanga's relative who is now tormenting his family leading to several mysterious deaths and misfortunes. He told Nyanga provincial magistrate Mr Ignatio Mhene that he had no option but to give away his daughter as compensation since he did not have the requested 10 head of cattle. It was the State's case led by public prosecutor Mr Kelvin Mufute that the accused breached Section 94 (i) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act which criminalises the pledging of a female person. "On May 1, 2013, the accused went to Matava family with his daughter. He pledged her since he did not have 10 cattle which he was charged to pay for traditional rituals since he had caused the death of their relative. The accused then left his daughter at the Mutava homestead and went back home. On October 31, 2013 the girl was taken from the Matava homestead by the police and she is now at a social welfare centre. "He had no right to act in the manner he did," he said. Nyakarange pleaded for leniency, saying his family members were dying mysteriously because of the avenging spirit and thus he had no option but to give away his daughter. He said he also feared for his own life and was not sure when fate will befall him. Mr Mhene rubbished his pleas, saying he acted irresponsibly by giving away his daughter. He said he had no right to decide who should marry his daughter, for the girl has her own rights. Mr Mhene said it was a cruel practice that often results in girls getting married to old people. Mr Mhene fined him $200 or three months in jail. A further six months were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence in the next five years.
Revai Nyakarange (41) pleaded guilty to handing over his daughter (14) to Mutava Jairasi Mukanga, saying an avenging spirit was causing deaths in his family. Nyakarange stands accused of causing the death of Mukanga's relative who is now tormenting his family leading to several mysterious deaths and misfortunes. He told Nyanga provincial magistrate Mr Ignatio Mhene that he had no option but to give away his daughter as compensation since he did not have the requested 10 head of cattle. It was the State's case led by public prosecutor Mr Kelvin Mufute that the accused breached Section 94 (i) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act which criminalises the pledging of a female person. "On May 1, 2013, the accused went to Matava family with his daughter. He pledged her since he did not have 10 cattle which he was charged to pay for traditional rituals since he had caused the death of their relative. The accused then left his daughter at the Mutava homestead and went back home. On October 31, 2013 the girl was taken from the Matava homestead by the police and she is now at a social welfare centre. "He had no right to act in the manner he did," he said. Nyakarange pleaded for leniency, saying his family members were dying mysteriously because of the avenging spirit and thus he had no option but to give away his daughter. He said he also feared for his own life and was not sure when fate will befall him. Mr Mhene rubbished his pleas, saying he acted irresponsibly by giving away his daughter. He said he had no right to decide who should marry his daughter, for the girl has her own rights. Mr Mhene said it was a cruel practice that often results in girls getting married to old people. Mr Mhene fined him $200 or three months in jail. A further six months were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence in the next five years.
Source - Manicapost
