News / Regional
Police struggle to arrest ‘rapist' traditional healer
08 Feb 2012 at 06:19hrs | Views
IN a chilling abuse of "supernatural power", a Lupane traditional healer allegedly habitually raped his daughter with the knowledge of his wife and villagers after threatening to unleash goblins on whoever intervened.
Even the police allegedly had to call for reinforcements to arrest the inyanga when he threatened to bewitch anyone who dared touch him.
The man, his daughter and wife (names withheld to protect the girl) reportedly do not have birth certificates or any other identity particulars.
Doctors estimated the age of the abused child, who is also said to be illiterate as she has never been to school, to be about 15 years.
The matter came to light when the father, in a fit of jealous rage, severely assaulted and raped the girl when her aunt told him she had found a man who wanted to marry her.
In a bid to "fix" his daughter's suitor he proceeded to Lupane Police Station and made a false rape report against the man.
His tactic, however, backfired when the child confessed her ordeal to the police Victim Friendly Unit (VFU), leading to her father's arrest, on 18 January.
Although the police were only able to charge the inyanga with six counts of rape, villagers from Khatshana Village under Chief Mabhikwa said the counts were far more than that.
"Please, I beg you not to reveal my identity. Umdala lo kayenzi. Ngingavelelwa ngumhlolo emini kunje. Everyone, including the mother, knows he has been sleeping with his daughter for a long time. Some even say she was made to sleep with his clients for ritual cleansing ceremonies," said a villager.
The villager said the girl was extremely quiet and was afraid of everyone she met, adding that everyone in the village wished the traditional healer would be locked in prison forever.
A relative said the girl had no one to turn to for assistance as everyone she reported the problem to turned a deaf ear because they were afraid of her father.
"In November, the child disappeared from the village. Unfortunately her father managed to trace her to a neighbouring village where she had sought refuge at her her aunt's place. Her aunt was unfortunately also afraid to expose the abuse," said the relative.
The relative said the aunt, instead lied to the inyanga, saying the girl had come to tell her that a man from the village wanted to marry her.
"He was jealous and furious when he heard that. He force-marched the girl to his homestead and assaulted her severely on the way. He stopped at a bush and raped her before forcing her to bath in a stream," said the relative.
"The following morning, he went to make a report at the police station, saying there was a man who was sexually abusing his daughter. However, when the police tried to speak to the child, she started crying uncontrollably. The VFU officers quickly isolated her and she told them what her father had done to her."
The relative said there was drama when the police went to arrest the inyanga.
"He had strange charms and herbs tied all over his body. He dared the officers to arrest him, saying whoever did would learn a lesson.
Everyone was afraid to touch him and they just stood there watching him for several hours. Finally an officer who said he was a Christian arrived, tore off the charms and took him into custody. Nothing has happened to the officer so far," the relative said.
Contacted for comment, the officer commanding Lupane Police District, Chief Superintendent Johannes Govo, confirmed the bizarre drama.
"The man allegedly raped his daughter on six occasions. The recorded incidents happened between May 2011 and January this year. After each alleged rape, the man would allegedly threaten his daughter with supernatural death if she told anyone," said Chief Supt Govo.
He said investigations were progressing slowly because witnesses were afraid to give evidence.
"The man will soon appear at Hwange regional court as investigators have made significant progress, after assuring the villagers that the man was a mere mortal. The traumatised child is receiving counselling with her mother at home," said Chief Supt Govo.
Even the police allegedly had to call for reinforcements to arrest the inyanga when he threatened to bewitch anyone who dared touch him.
The man, his daughter and wife (names withheld to protect the girl) reportedly do not have birth certificates or any other identity particulars.
Doctors estimated the age of the abused child, who is also said to be illiterate as she has never been to school, to be about 15 years.
The matter came to light when the father, in a fit of jealous rage, severely assaulted and raped the girl when her aunt told him she had found a man who wanted to marry her.
In a bid to "fix" his daughter's suitor he proceeded to Lupane Police Station and made a false rape report against the man.
His tactic, however, backfired when the child confessed her ordeal to the police Victim Friendly Unit (VFU), leading to her father's arrest, on 18 January.
Although the police were only able to charge the inyanga with six counts of rape, villagers from Khatshana Village under Chief Mabhikwa said the counts were far more than that.
"Please, I beg you not to reveal my identity. Umdala lo kayenzi. Ngingavelelwa ngumhlolo emini kunje. Everyone, including the mother, knows he has been sleeping with his daughter for a long time. Some even say she was made to sleep with his clients for ritual cleansing ceremonies," said a villager.
The villager said the girl was extremely quiet and was afraid of everyone she met, adding that everyone in the village wished the traditional healer would be locked in prison forever.
A relative said the girl had no one to turn to for assistance as everyone she reported the problem to turned a deaf ear because they were afraid of her father.
"In November, the child disappeared from the village. Unfortunately her father managed to trace her to a neighbouring village where she had sought refuge at her her aunt's place. Her aunt was unfortunately also afraid to expose the abuse," said the relative.
"He was jealous and furious when he heard that. He force-marched the girl to his homestead and assaulted her severely on the way. He stopped at a bush and raped her before forcing her to bath in a stream," said the relative.
"The following morning, he went to make a report at the police station, saying there was a man who was sexually abusing his daughter. However, when the police tried to speak to the child, she started crying uncontrollably. The VFU officers quickly isolated her and she told them what her father had done to her."
The relative said there was drama when the police went to arrest the inyanga.
"He had strange charms and herbs tied all over his body. He dared the officers to arrest him, saying whoever did would learn a lesson.
Everyone was afraid to touch him and they just stood there watching him for several hours. Finally an officer who said he was a Christian arrived, tore off the charms and took him into custody. Nothing has happened to the officer so far," the relative said.
Contacted for comment, the officer commanding Lupane Police District, Chief Superintendent Johannes Govo, confirmed the bizarre drama.
"The man allegedly raped his daughter on six occasions. The recorded incidents happened between May 2011 and January this year. After each alleged rape, the man would allegedly threaten his daughter with supernatural death if she told anyone," said Chief Supt Govo.
He said investigations were progressing slowly because witnesses were afraid to give evidence.
"The man will soon appear at Hwange regional court as investigators have made significant progress, after assuring the villagers that the man was a mere mortal. The traumatised child is receiving counselling with her mother at home," said Chief Supt Govo.
Source - TC
