Granny sexually abused by a 3 metre python on a daily basis

A MARANGE granny's more than two decades ordeal of being sexually abused by a three-metre-long python on a daily basis finally ended recently following the killing of the reptile. The horrific incident, which reads like a fairytale, occurred in Headman Chipfatsura's area under Chief Marange and is still the talk of the drought-prone rural community.

The grey-haired Willie Mutasa (78) confessed that the python was now a thorn in his flesh after acquiring it as a magical charm from a Chipinge-based traditional healer around 1973.

Apart from engaging in sex with Mutasa's wife and daughters, the snake would suck their blood, resulting in inexplicable deaths of two of his daughters.

After numerous failed attempts by different religious persons, the reptile was eventually captured and burnt by Kutenda Kwavapostori Church founder Bishop Trynos Mapuranga recently.

When The Weekender visited the Mutasa homestead on Monday, Mbuya Mutasa (59) confirmed that the snake would sleep with them on numerous occasions, leaving them with swollen thighs, while private parts were left red.

She even explained the modus operandi employed each time the snake wanted to engage in sex.

"My son, we went through a torrid time over these years. I came into the Mutasa family in 1976 and the ordeal started only a year after. When it all started I thought I was responsible since I was also into traditional healing, but I was later convinced that it had nothing to do with my calling as a traditional healer.

"I had 15 miscarriages during that period before I later got help and gave birth to six children - two boys and four girls. Two of the girls died in unclear circumstances, though we now know that the snake would feed on their blood.

"One of the children died in 2002 and the other in 2013. Many strange things would happen here. For example, the snake would come and immediately transform into little goblins and take turns to engage in sex with us. Before engaging in sex, the goblins would entice us with small things like guavas and one would get confused, sleep and the next thing the four goblins are done with you.

"They would leave us the next morning with swollen thighs, while private parts would have turned red. What worried us most is that whenever we told my husband he was unperturbed and at times would demand to engage in sex with me even in that state.

"The only good thing is that we have never seen anything strange happening after the snake was burnt and we hope it is now a thing of the past though it caused a lot of damage to the family," she said.

Her husband Mutasa confessed that he went to a traditional healer called Chinyamunhuwira in the Checheche area of Chipinge South where he was given three sticks that latter turned into the reptile he could no longer handle.

"Way back in the early 70s, I went to Chipinge together with other boys. Our mission was to pick cotton at farms in the area, but one day we connived to go and get 'muti' from a traditional healer who was popular in that area.

"My main aim in consulting the traditional healer was to do away with the spirit of my late wife which was giving me a torrid time and I wanted the traditional healer to turn the spirit against those who killed her. Apart from that, I also wanted to be feared.

"When we got to the traditional healer's place, we were given different tests. Mine was to get into a granary undressed and spend the night there and never to walk out no matter what comes inside during the night.

"During that night, big fleas came from nowhere and started feasting on my body. It was quite painful, but I was determined to last the distance and I did. When the traditional healer came the next morning he was shocked to find me in the granary and then invited me to give me what I wanted.

"He then gave me three sticks which I was instructed to depose at my late wife's grave and I did just that. It was in 1973. When I went home after deposing the sticks at my late wife's grave, I then found a thick wooden rod that latter changed into a snake. At times the snake would change into a bird or a hyena. Many strange things happened here since then, but I cannot say all one by one. At times there would be light all over at night," said Mutasa.

Although those in the know confirmed that he used to feed it with maize-meal after some of it was found at the entrance of a hole it used stay in, he said: "It used to survive on its own. I never gave it anything, although it belonged to me."

His wife said most of her groceries would not last long.

"Each time I bought a carton of sugar it would not last more than three weeks or when we went to the grinding mill to have our maize processed, the maize-meal would not last more than three days yet we have never lived here in large numbers," she said.

However, the remorseful Mutasa said he regrets ever having consulted that traditional healer since he gained nothing apart from impoverishing himself over the years.

"I have seen the bad side of kuromba. I have never known how it feels to be paid lobola, despite having sired beautiful daughters. I have since lost two of them. My sons are mentally retarded; even the one aged about 13 cannot write his name. I have lost nine beasts since I started trying to get rid of the paraphernalia I got from that traditional healer. I cannot stop anyone from doing what I did back then, but I can only advise them that they will be doing it at their own peril," he added.