News / Regional
Family in trouble over prophecy
09 Dec 2013 at 09:52hrs | Views
A family from Siabuwa in Binga found itself on the wrong side of the law after they robbed a fellow villager of six head of cattle purporting that the chief had ordered them to do so following a prophecy that he had bewitched a family member.
The trio, Energy Munsaka (35), Joseph Chimju Mleya (59) and Betha Mleya (55) pleaded not guilty when they were jointly charged for contravening Section 126 of Criminal (Law and Codification and Reform) Act chapter 9:23 "robbery" when they appeared before Binga resident magistrate Mr Stephen Ndlovu.
The State led by Mr Never Shiku told the court that on 24 August this year there was a funeral at the accused persons' homestead following the death of a family member.
At the funeral there was a prophetess who claimed complainant Ladson Siakombe Mudenda had bewitched the deceased who happened to be Joseph and Betha's son.
The court heard that on hearing this, the three, among them Energy's parents, went to report the matter to a chief whose name was not given.
The trio claimed that the chief ordered Mudenda to pay the family five beasts - an argument the three failed to substantiate in court after the chief denied having made such an order after he was brought in to testify.
It was the State case that on 8 October, the three together with 10 other villagers went to complainant's homestead armed with logs.
They told Mudenda that they had come to collect five beasts as compensation for bewitching their son.
They threatened him with unspecified action before going to the kraal where they drove away six beasts.
Mudenda reported the matter to the police leading to the arrest of the three and the prophetess. They were remanded in custody to 7 January 2014.
Meanwhile, the prophetess at the centre of the case, Ropafadzo Mapfumo aged 25 years was convicted and sentenced on her own plea of guilty.
Mapfumo who was charged with contravening Section 99 of the of Criminal (Law and Codification Reform) Act Chapter 9:23, indicating witches and wizards" was sentenced to three months in prison which were suspended on condition that she completes 105 hours of community service at Sinampande Primary School.
Mapfumo alleged at a funeral that Mudenda was a wizard who had bewitched the deceased Robert Mleya. She however surprised the court when she claimed that being a prophetess she became possessed by a force she couldn't control and often went into a trance.
While in that state she claimed that Mudenda had killed Joseph and Betha Mleya's son by bewitching him through the use of dark magic.
The trio, Energy Munsaka (35), Joseph Chimju Mleya (59) and Betha Mleya (55) pleaded not guilty when they were jointly charged for contravening Section 126 of Criminal (Law and Codification and Reform) Act chapter 9:23 "robbery" when they appeared before Binga resident magistrate Mr Stephen Ndlovu.
The State led by Mr Never Shiku told the court that on 24 August this year there was a funeral at the accused persons' homestead following the death of a family member.
At the funeral there was a prophetess who claimed complainant Ladson Siakombe Mudenda had bewitched the deceased who happened to be Joseph and Betha's son.
The court heard that on hearing this, the three, among them Energy's parents, went to report the matter to a chief whose name was not given.
The trio claimed that the chief ordered Mudenda to pay the family five beasts - an argument the three failed to substantiate in court after the chief denied having made such an order after he was brought in to testify.
It was the State case that on 8 October, the three together with 10 other villagers went to complainant's homestead armed with logs.
They told Mudenda that they had come to collect five beasts as compensation for bewitching their son.
They threatened him with unspecified action before going to the kraal where they drove away six beasts.
Mudenda reported the matter to the police leading to the arrest of the three and the prophetess. They were remanded in custody to 7 January 2014.
Meanwhile, the prophetess at the centre of the case, Ropafadzo Mapfumo aged 25 years was convicted and sentenced on her own plea of guilty.
Mapfumo who was charged with contravening Section 99 of the of Criminal (Law and Codification Reform) Act Chapter 9:23, indicating witches and wizards" was sentenced to three months in prison which were suspended on condition that she completes 105 hours of community service at Sinampande Primary School.
Mapfumo alleged at a funeral that Mudenda was a wizard who had bewitched the deceased Robert Mleya. She however surprised the court when she claimed that being a prophetess she became possessed by a force she couldn't control and often went into a trance.
While in that state she claimed that Mudenda had killed Joseph and Betha Mleya's son by bewitching him through the use of dark magic.
Source - sundaynews
