Six men demolish house belonging to 'spirit medium'

Six men from Hurungwe in Mashonaland West have been convicted and sentenced for destroying property belonging to a local man who claimed to be a spirit medium.

Kingrose Madyara (58), Wilson Kamudungwe (58), Norman Kavande (50), Progress Madyara (35), Tapiwa Chipazaure (35) and Liberty Chipazaure (30) appeared before the Karoi Magistrates Court.

The court sentenced the six to 10 months' imprisonment each. Three months were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour, while a further one month was suspended on condition that they pay restitution to the complainant. The remaining six months were suspended on condition that they complete 210 hours of community service.

According to the State, the incident occurred in April 2025 in the Joga area, where the accused allegedly ganged up and demolished a two-roomed house belonging to the complainant using their bare hands.

The court heard that tensions had been simmering since 2023 after the village head allocated land to the complainant. The victim claimed he was possessed by the spirit of Goremusandu, a well-known spirit medium, and that this entitled him to the ancestral land.

The accused reportedly dismissed the claim, accusing the complainant of being a "scammer," and later took the law into their own hands by destroying his property.

The magistrate warned against vigilantism, stressing that disputes over land and traditional beliefs should be resolved through lawful channels.