Prostitute laces rival's beer with poison

A SUSPECTED prostitute from Lower Gweru was arraigned before Chief Mkoba after she allegedly laced her rival's beer with poison.

Muslinc Khumalo (34) of Mantiya Village in Lower Gweru, was found guilty for practising witchcraft after she poisoned Sibongile Nyathi's beer with an unknown substance in a bid to eliminate competition as client wars escalate in the area.

B-Metro visited Chief Mkoba at his homestead in Lugwalo area recently where he expressed shock and disbelief over what he called evil acts. He encouraged people who drink alcohol or soft drinks in public places to always take extra caution when in the company of other people.

"Yes, there was a trial of witchcraft here and at the end three prostitutes implicated each other. However, we are going to report the matter to the police since the allegations are very serious," he said.

Narrating what transpired during the trial of Khumalo, the chiefs clerk, headman Phumulani Moyo, said it came to light that a group of ladies of the night was involved in lacing clients' beer with poison some of which was deadly.

Headman Moyo said Khumalo was charged with practising witchcraft by the chief's court during a trial that attracted over 300 villagers.

"On Sunday we had a case involving Nyathi who was the complainant and Khumalo the accused. Both are ladies of the night They frequent Sisonke, Rumours and Simunye Nite Clubs," he said.

Allegations against her were that on 31 December last year and at Sisonke Nite Club, Lugwalo area, Nyathi and Khumalo were drinking beer while soliciting for clients. He said Nyathi went to the ladies' room leaving her pint of beer on the table where Khumalo was seated.

"Khumalo was then seen by one Thandiwe Nkiwane (54), another allied prostitute lacing Nyathi's beer with suspected poison. Nyathi returned from the ladies' room and unbeknown to her, drank her beer before collapsing to the floor said headman Moyo.

Moyo said Nkiwane, who witnessed Khumalo putting something in Nyathi's beer, quickly went and bought three pints of sterilised milk which she forced down her throat Nyathi's relatives were alerted and they took her home where they again gave her some milk and ash causing her to vomit a lot After recovering, Nyathi reported the matter to Chief Mkoba.

He said during the trial, it was witnesses who told the Chief that Khumalo and her two friends, Mavis Mlalazi and Constance Mubayi had also allegedly laced drinks belonging to fellow prostitutes and clients with poison. A villager, Pamela Moyo, also gave evidence to the effect that her father had died from poisoning after he was seen drinking beer with the prostitutes.

Headman Moyo said: "So at the end of the trial, Chief Mkoba said he was going to report the matter to the police since it had come to light that several people could have been poisoned by prostitutes."

Chief Mkoba also called on the Government to empower chiefs to impose stiffer penalties or recommend imprisonment for such serious crimes.