News / Regional
Prophet in court for witchcraft slur
26 Jun 2014 at 07:00hrs | Views
A SELF-STYLED Bulilima prophet has appeared in court for labelling his female neighbour a witch.
Shepherd Ncube, 21, in court on Tuesday, reportedly uttered statements to the effect that Olitha Phiri, 57, had killed her own daughter and was using her to make money.
"Shepherd told my children that I'm a witch and that I'm responsible for the death of my daughter who passed away last year," Phiri told the court.
"He told my children that I turned my deceased child into a goblin, which I use to make money."
She said Ncube also told her children to move out of her house as they were also in danger of being bewitched.
"My children are now afraid to live with me and they are avoiding me," said Phiri.
"He told my eldest son who is not feeling well that I bewitched him with the intention to kill him and turn him into a goblin."
She blasted Ncube: "Shepherd is a bogus prophet who does nothing but wreck people's homes just as he has wrecked mine. At times he orders people to pay him to prophesy to them."
Phiri alleged that Ncube had been spreading lies about her and destroying her family with his "malicious" prophecies.
Ncube denied the allegations saying he was not a prophet but a preacher.
"Your worship this woman is lying when she says I prophesied against her because I'm not a prophet but a preacher. She's claiming that I'm a friend of her child which is not true because the only friend I have is my wife. If there is anyone who has a crime between us it is her because she insulted me."
Last week Ncube dragged Phiri to court accusing her of insulting him in public by mentioning his manhood and demanded $700 compensation for defamation, which the court granted. Phiri had denied insulting Ncube and claimed she only confronted him for spreading rumours about her. The incident is said to have happened on June 10. Ncube is a member of the United Christian Apostolic Church in Zion in Bulilima.
Plumtree magistrate Gideon Ruvetsa deferred the duo's trial to June 30.
Shepherd Ncube, 21, in court on Tuesday, reportedly uttered statements to the effect that Olitha Phiri, 57, had killed her own daughter and was using her to make money.
"Shepherd told my children that I'm a witch and that I'm responsible for the death of my daughter who passed away last year," Phiri told the court.
"He told my children that I turned my deceased child into a goblin, which I use to make money."
She said Ncube also told her children to move out of her house as they were also in danger of being bewitched.
"My children are now afraid to live with me and they are avoiding me," said Phiri.
She blasted Ncube: "Shepherd is a bogus prophet who does nothing but wreck people's homes just as he has wrecked mine. At times he orders people to pay him to prophesy to them."
Phiri alleged that Ncube had been spreading lies about her and destroying her family with his "malicious" prophecies.
Ncube denied the allegations saying he was not a prophet but a preacher.
"Your worship this woman is lying when she says I prophesied against her because I'm not a prophet but a preacher. She's claiming that I'm a friend of her child which is not true because the only friend I have is my wife. If there is anyone who has a crime between us it is her because she insulted me."
Last week Ncube dragged Phiri to court accusing her of insulting him in public by mentioning his manhood and demanded $700 compensation for defamation, which the court granted. Phiri had denied insulting Ncube and claimed she only confronted him for spreading rumours about her. The incident is said to have happened on June 10. Ncube is a member of the United Christian Apostolic Church in Zion in Bulilima.
Plumtree magistrate Gideon Ruvetsa deferred the duo's trial to June 30.
Source - chronicle
