News / National
Tsikamutandas caught planting live snake
28 Nov 2015 at 08:10hrs | Views
TWO Chinhoyi tsikamutandas were caught red-handed while planting a live snake at a Rusape homestead in an attempt to hood-wink the family which had hired them to conduct a cleansing ceremony.
They were arrested and arraigned before the courts.
The two, Senator (28) and Tinashe Tendaupenyu (22) of Number 24, Lions' Den, Chinhoyi are being charged under section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act which criminalises fraud and they are also facing an alternate charge of engaging in practices commonly associated with witchcraft.
The two, who are not represented and are denying the charges, were granted $30 bail by Rusape provincial magistrate, Mr Shingi Mutiro. Prosecuting, Mr Thomas Tumbare, told the court that the two allegedly masqueraded as traditional healers in an attempt to dupe an Inyati Mine family of their beast.
"On October 29, 2015, the accused persons went to Enia Kundishora's homestead purporting to be traditional healers. "Senator told Kundishora that her family was being haunted by evil spirits and he wanted to cleanse them. "He told them he wanted a beast as payment for the cleansing ceremony and Kundishora gave them the nod to continue with the cleansing ceremony.
"Senator instructed Kundishora and her family to enter the house with Tinashe.
"The cleansing ceremony started and Tinashe gave Kundishora some medicine to splash in all the other houses. This meant that Tinashe was to be left alone in the bedroom.
"Kundishora began to suspect that the accused persons wanted to play some tricks.
"She ordered her son Tenson Chibanda to monitor Tinashe through an open window.
"Tinashe then rose from where he was sitting and walked to Kundishora's wardrobe. He then retrieved a small dark blue bag and placed it on top of the wardrobe.
"Tenson Chibanda asked Tinashe what he was doing and he told him it was part of the ceremony and doors were now supposed to be locked and no one was allowed to enter the house until he cast out evil spirits tormenting the family.
"Senator left and went to another homestead. Chibanda later defied the accused's instruction and entered the house. He took the bag and noticed some movement in it.
"The bag was opened and a brownish grey live snake about 0.7cm long came out. Tinashe confessed that he was not a traditional healer.
"The snake was killed by villagers who had gathered to witness the cleansing ceremony," said Mr Tumbare.
Mr Mutiro postponed the matter to December 10 for continuation of trial.
They were arrested and arraigned before the courts.
The two, Senator (28) and Tinashe Tendaupenyu (22) of Number 24, Lions' Den, Chinhoyi are being charged under section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act which criminalises fraud and they are also facing an alternate charge of engaging in practices commonly associated with witchcraft.
The two, who are not represented and are denying the charges, were granted $30 bail by Rusape provincial magistrate, Mr Shingi Mutiro. Prosecuting, Mr Thomas Tumbare, told the court that the two allegedly masqueraded as traditional healers in an attempt to dupe an Inyati Mine family of their beast.
"On October 29, 2015, the accused persons went to Enia Kundishora's homestead purporting to be traditional healers. "Senator told Kundishora that her family was being haunted by evil spirits and he wanted to cleanse them. "He told them he wanted a beast as payment for the cleansing ceremony and Kundishora gave them the nod to continue with the cleansing ceremony.
"Senator instructed Kundishora and her family to enter the house with Tinashe.
"The cleansing ceremony started and Tinashe gave Kundishora some medicine to splash in all the other houses. This meant that Tinashe was to be left alone in the bedroom.
"She ordered her son Tenson Chibanda to monitor Tinashe through an open window.
"Tinashe then rose from where he was sitting and walked to Kundishora's wardrobe. He then retrieved a small dark blue bag and placed it on top of the wardrobe.
"Tenson Chibanda asked Tinashe what he was doing and he told him it was part of the ceremony and doors were now supposed to be locked and no one was allowed to enter the house until he cast out evil spirits tormenting the family.
"Senator left and went to another homestead. Chibanda later defied the accused's instruction and entered the house. He took the bag and noticed some movement in it.
"The bag was opened and a brownish grey live snake about 0.7cm long came out. Tinashe confessed that he was not a traditional healer.
"The snake was killed by villagers who had gathered to witness the cleansing ceremony," said Mr Tumbare.
Mr Mutiro postponed the matter to December 10 for continuation of trial.
Source - manicapost
