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Vendor goes blind after stealing potatoes
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A family dispute in Mutasa has taken a bizarre twist after a vendor accused her aunt of stealing her potatoes and causing her to suffer mysterious bouts of blindness.
The case was heard before Chief Mutasa's community court last Saturday, where Margaret Foro alleged that her aunt, Rudo Matekenya, was behind both the theft of her produce and her recurring four-month illnesses.
Foro told the court that she and other traders stored their potatoes in a shared storeroom, but each time her stock went missing, she would fall gravely ill.
"Each time my potatoes are stolen, I lose my sight, suffer severe headaches, and spend months bedridden. I am certain my aunt is involved because my potatoes always disappear after she enters the storeroom," Foro claimed.
Her mother, Benadette Chikeya, supported the accusations, saying the thefts continued even after they began hiding the potatoes elsewhere. She argued that witchcraft could be at play, urging the chief to order both families to consult traditional healers.
Matekenya, however, strongly denied the allegations, dismissing them as baseless and hurtful.
"I am not a thief or a witch. Everyone who uses the storeroom has suffered thefts, including myself. It is unfair to single me out," she said.
Her father, Martin Matekenya, also rejected the claims, describing them as "unreasonable" and refusing to entertain demands for consultations with healers.
After listening to both sides, Chief Mutasa ruled that theft cases should be reported to the police, not handled through speculation in community courts.
"If you suspect potato theft, go to the police. This court does not handle witchcraft claims," he said, while urging the families to avoid further confrontations.
He advised them that they were free to seek spiritual guidance privately if they so wished.
The case was heard before Chief Mutasa's community court last Saturday, where Margaret Foro alleged that her aunt, Rudo Matekenya, was behind both the theft of her produce and her recurring four-month illnesses.
Foro told the court that she and other traders stored their potatoes in a shared storeroom, but each time her stock went missing, she would fall gravely ill.
"Each time my potatoes are stolen, I lose my sight, suffer severe headaches, and spend months bedridden. I am certain my aunt is involved because my potatoes always disappear after she enters the storeroom," Foro claimed.
Her mother, Benadette Chikeya, supported the accusations, saying the thefts continued even after they began hiding the potatoes elsewhere. She argued that witchcraft could be at play, urging the chief to order both families to consult traditional healers.
Matekenya, however, strongly denied the allegations, dismissing them as baseless and hurtful.
"I am not a thief or a witch. Everyone who uses the storeroom has suffered thefts, including myself. It is unfair to single me out," she said.
Her father, Martin Matekenya, also rejected the claims, describing them as "unreasonable" and refusing to entertain demands for consultations with healers.
After listening to both sides, Chief Mutasa ruled that theft cases should be reported to the police, not handled through speculation in community courts.
"If you suspect potato theft, go to the police. This court does not handle witchcraft claims," he said, while urging the families to avoid further confrontations.
He advised them that they were free to seek spiritual guidance privately if they so wished.
Source - Manica Post
