In-law invites witch hunter prophets after fight over stove

A Bulawayo woman is at loggerheads with her sister-in-law after she reportedly invited a prophet to their house to conduct a cleansing ceremony claiming she was a witch.

For Nethi Chikwena who was staying at her husband's house in Pumula East suburb with the tenants, all was well until her sister-in-law Ndakaitei Chikwena came to stay with them.

According to Nethi her relationship with her sister-in-law developed cracks after they had an argument over the use of the stove. She said after that her sister-in-law insulted her and even branded her a witch.

Nethi reported her to the police and officers from the Victim Friendly Unit engaged them to solve their disputes but things did not work out.

While Nethi was at home she was shocked to see her sister-in-law and a prophet stepping into the living room.

The prophet held her head and started spraying her with water mixed with salt claiming that there was a witch in the house.

As she thought she had been tormented enough she was yet to face another problem as her sister-in-law teamed up with her brother-in-law, Langton Chikwena to harass the tenants and told them to vacate the house.

Nethi went and applied for a protection order at Western Commonage Court against her sister-in-law and her brother-in-law.

In response Ndakatei denied the allegations levelled against her by Nethi.

"We are living peacefully together," she responded.

The magistrate then asked her what had brought them to court and she said: "We had an argument over the use of the stove and who was supposed to clean it."

Langton said: "I never harassed the tenants and when I went to their place, I was only there to see my sister."

The presiding magistrate Shepherd Mnjanja granted Nethi the protection order.

Ndakaitei was ordered not to evict the tenants without a court order and not to send agents to verbally and physically abuse Nethi.

Langton was also ordered not to evict tenants.