News / National
Rank marshal jailed over witchcraft rant
22 Apr 2019 at 03:40hrs | Views
A Kwekwe commuter omnibus rank marshal has been slapped with a three month-jail term for branding his neighbour a wizard after a domestic dispute.
Magistrate Story Rushambwa, convicted Reason Saidi (25) on his own plea of guilty on Thursday last week.
It was the State's case that on July 26, 2018, Saidi from Torwood in Kwekwe, returned home in the evening and found his mother seriously ill. He then became suspicious that his neighbour, Emilia Muchinjani, had bewitched her.
In a fit of rage, Saidi stormed into the complainant's house and dragged her outside. He then went on to assault her with fists before labelling her a wizard.
The matter was reported to the police, leading to his arrest.
Saidi told the court that he had reasonable suspicion that the complainant had bewitched his mother because she had manifested during a prayer session calling out his mother's name.
However, magistrate Rushambwa found him guilty of assault and contravening the Witchcraft Suppression Act.
"It is a serious offense to label someone a witch without providing any proof. The accused violated the laws and his sentence must be a warning to other would be offenders not to commit the crime," said the magistrate in passing sentence.
Magistrate Story Rushambwa, convicted Reason Saidi (25) on his own plea of guilty on Thursday last week.
It was the State's case that on July 26, 2018, Saidi from Torwood in Kwekwe, returned home in the evening and found his mother seriously ill. He then became suspicious that his neighbour, Emilia Muchinjani, had bewitched her.
In a fit of rage, Saidi stormed into the complainant's house and dragged her outside. He then went on to assault her with fists before labelling her a wizard.
Saidi told the court that he had reasonable suspicion that the complainant had bewitched his mother because she had manifested during a prayer session calling out his mother's name.
However, magistrate Rushambwa found him guilty of assault and contravening the Witchcraft Suppression Act.
"It is a serious offense to label someone a witch without providing any proof. The accused violated the laws and his sentence must be a warning to other would be offenders not to commit the crime," said the magistrate in passing sentence.
Source - newsday
