Man calls wife 'a witch'

A man gave his wife a thorough hiding for allegedly practising witchcraft and possessing goblins, a Harare Civil Court has heard.

Fiona Murisa yesterday told magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa that her husband, Callisto Mujera, who is a police officer, accuses her of possessing goblins which are hindering his success.

Murisa, who was seeking a protection order, said Mujera has barred her relatives from visiting their matrimonial home, accusing them of being witches out to hurt him.

"He is my husband and he assaults me saying that I am a witch," she said.

"He also rebukes me calling me all types of derogatory names such that I had to leave our matrimonial house because I could no longer stand his abuse. I want him to be barred from coming to my house because he will assault me again," Murisa said.

Mujera denied the allegations and told the court that Murisa was the one who abused him.

"She is lying before the court and I wish the court to grant a reciprocal protection order because she also abuses me," he said.

"She tells our children that I am a promiscuous man. I cannot be banned from going to her house as she has told the court because she is living at a college where I am doing my studies," Mujera said.

Mrs Gofa ordered Mujera to stop abusing his wife and accusing her of witchcraft and possessing goblins without any evidence.

In a separate case, a Harare woman is seeking peace with her husband's girlfriend whom she accuses of assaulting her with fists and open hands over her husband.

Nyaradzo Bhibhi alleges that her husband's girlfriend, Catherine Marozhi, beats her saying she should leave the husband for her.

Bhibhi, who was seeking a peace order against Marozhi, yesterday told Mrs Gofa that Marozhi boasted that she was a Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operative and nothing would happen to her even if she reported to the police.

She said Marozhi also bragged that the husband also pays her for sexual favours.

"She is my husband's girlfriend and she comes to my house assaulting me saying that I should vacate the house for her to move in," Bhibhi said.

"She said that even if I come to court nothing will happen to her since she is a CIO operative and a relative to top Government officials. She is taking advantage that she works for the Government and abuses me.

Marozhi refuted the allegations. She told the court that she was married to the man after he divorced Bhibhi.

"The man is mine and she is the former wife," Marozhi said. "I got married to the man after they divorced and I have never abused her as she is alleging."

Mrs Gofa dismissed Bhibhi's application for a peace order and advised her to apply for a protection order since both of them were married to one man.

A peace order is issued when the applicant and the respondent are not related or have no any relationship of any sort whereas a protection order is issued between related parties.