Tsikamutandas caught carrying bag dripping with fresh blood

FOUR self-proclaimed traditional healers commonly known as tsikamutanda were arrested in Mwenezi last week. They were found in possession of a bag full of different kinds of small animal horns that were dripping with fresh blood, while some were decorated with animal skin hair and beads.

They were using the horns to dupe villagers into believing that they had removed them from their homesteads when in fact they would have put them there. The four Benjamain Chigwedere (28), Kelvin Moyo (31), Edwin Nyashanu (28) and Simon Phiri (21) were arrested in Tavamo village, Chief Neshuro in Mwenezi after going around "removing" horns from villagers' homesteads and coercing them to pay with cattle.

Villagers who refused to pay were threatened with death and bad omen. The four appeared before Masvingo provincial magistrate Mr Enias Magate sitting on circuit at the Mwenezi district court last Thursday facing charges of extortion as defined in section 134 (b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

They were remanded out of custody to the first week of October on $100 bail each. Presenting the state case, the prosecutor Mr Sifelani Mkandla told the court that the four self-styled traditional healers were operating in Tavamo Village at the invitation of the village head. He said villagers were gathered at some venue where the traditional cleansing ceremony was taking place and were taking turns to approach them.

When it was the turn of one of the complainants, Tambudzai Gumbo, the tsikamutanda told her that she was being haunted by the spirit of her late husband and further stated that there was supposed to be a traditional cleansing at her homestead where they would cast away the spirit. They then proceeded to her home where on arrival they entered her bedroom while everyone else was outside and came out with an animal horn that was covered in black chicken feathers. The horn had fresh bloodstains at its head and tail and seemed to be breathing.

The court heard that the complainant vehemently denied ownership of the horn but they demanded that she pays them a beast for the work they had done. They threatened her with death if she did not pay them. Fearing for her life she paid the beast. Mr Mkandla said the four did not end there but told Makandipei Sibanda that she had evil spirits that caused discomfort in her family and her life. The court heard that they demanded that she pays them $250 or a beast so that they remove the evil spirit from her.

She, however, argued that she did not have the money and was not prepared to give them a beast as per their demands but they threatened her with the death of two of her children if she remained adamant.

They went to her house and Edwin Nyashanu removed a horn from her house which was different from the one they removed from Gumbo's bedroom although it was also dripping with fresh blood.

She paid them a cow for their services and they went away. The two women later reported the case to the police leading to the arrest of the four who were found in possession of a bag full of small different animal horns decorated with black, red and white beads while some were smeared with animal skin hair and dripping with fresh blood.

The bag was confiscated and can be used as an exhibit.