News / Local
Sex predator sangoma sexually abuses woman seeking help with marriage
25 Jan 2024 at 23:47hrs | Views
A WOMAN facing difficulties in her marriage and seeking help from a traditional healer had her trust betrayed when she was subjected to repeated sexual assaults by the self-proclaimed healer and one of his followers.
The woman (30) whose identity cannot be revealed stays in Bulawayo's New Magwegwe suburb.
A source said the woman approached the traditional healer Israel Gwatinyanya (53) at his shrine in Pumula North suburb and told her that her marriage was on the verge of collapse.
"The woman was experiencing difficulties in her marriage and she told the traditional healer that she was always at loggerheads with her husband and her marriage could collapse any time.
"The woman approached him sometime in January last year and the traditional healer vowed to help her," said the source.
It is said Gwatinyanya told her that the only way to cleanse her was by having sexual intercourse with her.
"Gwatinyanya told her that the spirit that was causing problems in her marriage could only be exorcised by having sex with him. After that he had sex with her at his shrine," said the source.
Unaware of the darkness that awaited, the woman placed her trust in the healer.
"Each time she went to his shrine Gwatinyanya would instruct his helper to leave for an hour and he would sexually attack the woman as he told her that it was a way of cleansing her," said the source. It is alleged Gwatinyanya even had the guts to order the woman to sleep with his 20-year-old male helper.
"In July last year Gwatinyanya ordered the woman to have sex with his helper Arthur Wisdom Ncube saying it was also a way of cleansing her. Ncube had sex with her countless times from July to early December last year," said the source.
The source said on one occasion Gwatinyanya and Zulu had a "threesome" with the woman in question.
"On one occasion the pair teamed up and instilled fear in her saying she needed to be seriously cleansed before they took turns to have sex with her, "said the source.
The sickening attack came to light when the victim visited one of her relatives staying at Sotshangane Flats.
"She shared what she goes through at the hands of Gwatinyanya and Ncube. Her relative advised her to report the matter to the police," said the source.
She reported the sexual attacks to the police leading to Gwatinyanya's arrest. Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident.
"Women should not visit traditional healers or prophets as individuals but they should visit them in groups or in pairs.
"We would also like to warn women that there is no healing which could be done through sexual intercourse," he said.
The woman (30) whose identity cannot be revealed stays in Bulawayo's New Magwegwe suburb.
A source said the woman approached the traditional healer Israel Gwatinyanya (53) at his shrine in Pumula North suburb and told her that her marriage was on the verge of collapse.
"The woman was experiencing difficulties in her marriage and she told the traditional healer that she was always at loggerheads with her husband and her marriage could collapse any time.
"The woman approached him sometime in January last year and the traditional healer vowed to help her," said the source.
It is said Gwatinyanya told her that the only way to cleanse her was by having sexual intercourse with her.
"Gwatinyanya told her that the spirit that was causing problems in her marriage could only be exorcised by having sex with him. After that he had sex with her at his shrine," said the source.
Unaware of the darkness that awaited, the woman placed her trust in the healer.
"In July last year Gwatinyanya ordered the woman to have sex with his helper Arthur Wisdom Ncube saying it was also a way of cleansing her. Ncube had sex with her countless times from July to early December last year," said the source.
The source said on one occasion Gwatinyanya and Zulu had a "threesome" with the woman in question.
"On one occasion the pair teamed up and instilled fear in her saying she needed to be seriously cleansed before they took turns to have sex with her, "said the source.
The sickening attack came to light when the victim visited one of her relatives staying at Sotshangane Flats.
"She shared what she goes through at the hands of Gwatinyanya and Ncube. Her relative advised her to report the matter to the police," said the source.
She reported the sexual attacks to the police leading to Gwatinyanya's arrest. Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident.
"Women should not visit traditional healers or prophets as individuals but they should visit them in groups or in pairs.
"We would also like to warn women that there is no healing which could be done through sexual intercourse," he said.
Source - BMetro
