'Witches' in court showdown

THIS was the shocking moment when two elderly women went toe-to-toe in a chief's court after trading accusations over witchcraft.

Ms Maggie Moyo was hauled before Chief Mkoba's traditional court in Lower Gweru after Mrs Keppy Ncube claimed that she had used her to commit acts of witchcraft.

Both women are in their 80s.

Mrs Ncube told the court she was initiated into witchcraft and later coached by Ms Moyo, but she wanted out because of pain she claimed was being caused by a nail driven into her spine during a ritual.

Hundreds of villagers turned up to hear the bizarre case, and Chief Mkoba invited Chronicle to witness.

The chief told the villagers: "Yah, lina bantu beLower Gweru liyaloya sibili. Lingabathakhathi. Ngifuna abantu benews balibhale kumbe lingatshintsha (Lower Gweru people you are experts in witchcraft. I invited journalists to this traditional court so that they expose your practices, maybe you might change for the better)."

Chief Mkoba sat both women down, and asked Mrs Ncube to make her case against Ms Moyo.

"I was herding my goats some months ago when I met Maggie (Ms Moyo). Maggie told me that a person can be trained and be coached to be a witch," she   began.

"I didn't read much into her words until I started experiencing mysterious things. I would wake up to find my hair shaved, a piece of cloth from my petticoats would be cut, or I would be stark nak3d even though I slept with my panties on.

"Foolishly, I would wash my panties and wear them again. I suspect this is how I was initiated into witchcraft."

She said her witchcraft practices only came to light recently at a church service when a prophet told her she was being used as a witch, allegedly by Ms Moyo.

"The prophet first asked me why we ride hyenas in our area. They promised to come and rid the area of hyenas belonging to Maggie and myself. They said someone was using me unknowingly as a witch at night. I knew automatically that it was Maggie's doing," she said.

Mrs Ncube said as a member of the Apostolic church sect which did not condone such evil practices, she now wanted to quit practising witchcraft.

She said her leg was also hurting as a result of the nail stuck in her lower spine.

"I came to you my elders so that we help each other end this evil practice. There is nothing admirable or good in witchcraft. People are suffering because of witchcraft and it is now time to end this.

Ngibuhlungu ngemva, ngabethelelwa ispikili emsisileni [I have pain in my back, I had a nail driven into my spine]. This has prompted me to come to you my elders as I can't bear the pain that I'm going through. I now want to quit," said Mrs Ncube.

Ms Moyo was not given a chance to give her  evidence. She kept asking the court to give her time to give her side of the story, but the chief would tell her to be quiet.

Mr Jacob Maseko, a brother-in-law to Ms Moyo, said her brother's widow had a case to answer.

He said the two women, Mrs Ncube and Ms Moyo, were behind most of the problems his family was experiencing.

"I can hardly walk because of these two. They threatened me first and now I have a wound that won't heal. If I apply medicine to the wound on my leg, the medicine disappears mysteriously," he said.

"My children are dying under mysterious circumstances. I also lost my first wife under unclear circumstances. I'm prepared to go to jail if people who engage in witchcraft like these two are allowed to operate freely."

Chief Mkoba could not conclusively deal with the matter as he limited himself to gathering information only.

He said the law does not allow his court to handle such cases, adding that he would make a referral to the Gweru Magistrates' Court.

After the traditional court had been concluded,  the two elderly women traded insults and nearly exchanged blows - with Ms Moyo pointing a walking stick at her accuser and Mrs Ncube wagging a brolly.