Witch nailed on spinal cord after being found practicing witchcraft

Published: 2013 November 25 16:42:16 (7169 Views)

A self-confessed witch in Chief Mkoba's area in Lower Gweru is allegedly living with a nail stuck in her lower part of the spinal cord after she was reportedly caught practising witchcraft.

The woman, Mrs Keppy Ncube who is in her 80s, stunned a packed traditional court at Chief Mkoba's homestead on Thursday that she decided to repent after experiencing excruciating pain following her being nailed in the spine.

Mrs Ncube alleged that she was initiated into witchcraft and later coached by a fellow elderly villager, Ms Maggie Moyo, also in her mid 80s. The two elderly women had taken each other to the chief's court over witchcraft. Villagers who had come in their numbers to hear firsthand about the operations of witches who are allegedly causing havoc in their area remained dead silent as Mrs Ncube narrated how she was initiated into the evil practice.

Said Mrs Ncube: "I was herding my goats some months ago when I met Maggie (Ms Moyo). She told me umuntu uyafundiswa ukuloya. (a person can be trained and be coached to be a witch.) I did not read much into her words until I started experiencing mysterious things, my hair would be cut in the morning whenever I woke up, a piece of cloth from my petticoats would be cut, while my panties would disappear or just removed mysteriously while asleep. Foolishly I would wash my panties and wear them again. I suspect this is how I was initiated into witchcraft."

She said her witchcraft practices only came to light recently at a church service when a prophet told her she was being used as a witch, allegedly by Ms Moyo. Mrs Ncube said the prophet told her that she was a witch.

"The prophet first asked me why we ride hyenas in our area. They promised to come and rid the area of hyenas belonging to Maggie and myself. They said someone was using me unknowingly as a witch at night. I knew automatically that it was Maggie's doing," she said.

Mrs Ncube said as a member of the Apostolic church sect which did not condone such evil practices, she now wanted to quit practicing witchcraft. She said her leg was also hurting as a result of the nail stuck in her lower spine.

"I came to you my leaders so that we help each other end this evil act. There is nothing admirable or good in witchcraft. People are suffering because of witchcraft and it is now time to end this.

Ngibuhlungu ngemva ngabethelelwa ispikili emsisileni. This has prompted me to come to you my elders as I can't bear the pain I am going through. I now want to quit," said Mrs Ncube.

Ms Moyo was not given a chance to give her evidence. She kept asking the court to give her time to give her side of the story but the chief would tell her to be quiet. However, Mr Jacob Maseko, a brother-in-law to Ms Moyo, said her brother's widow had a case to answer.

He said the two women, Mrs Ncube and Ms Moyo, were behind most of the sufferings his family was experiencing.

"I can hardly walk because of the two elderly women. They threatened me first and now I have a wound that won't heal. If I apply medicine to the wound on my leg, the medicine disappears mysteriously. My children are dying under mysterious circumstances. I also lost my first wife under unclear circumstances. I am prepared to go to jail if people who engage in witchcraft like the two are allowed to operate unabated," said Mr Maseko.

Chief Mkoba could not conclusively deal with the matter as he limited himself to gathering information only. He said the law does not allow him to handle such cases. Four cases of suspected witchcraft were heard at the traditional court. Mr Wellington Sibindi told the court that he woke up two weeks ago with a partially shaved head. He said ever since he lost his hair, he has been experiencing sleepless nights and a stiff neck.

"I feel like someone who is going to have a stroke ever since I lost my hair mysteriously. The hair is not growing again in the shaved parts. I tried applying some medicine but the hair just won't grow," said an apparently dejected Mr Sibindi.

Another case brought before the chief was that of two neighbours who were fighting over drawing electricity power. One of the neighbours, a woman who accused the other of electrifying his house without first paying a joining fee, is said to have threatened to strike her neighbour with a bolt of lightning. The two, however, later forgave each other.

There was also a case of self-proclaimed prophetess who allegedly labelled a woman at an Apostolic church a witch. Chief Mkoba referred the matter to the courts in Gweru.

Chief Mkoba could only proclaim: "Yah, lina abantu beLower Gweru liyaloya sibili. Lingabathakhathi. Ngifuna abantu benews balibhale kumbe lingatshintsha. (People of Lower Gweru you are experts in witchcraft. I invited journalists to this traditional court so that they expose your evil ways, maybe you might change for the better). I will recommend some of the cases to the magistrate's courts in Gweru as I do not have jurisdiction over some of these cases."

After the traditional court had been concluded, there was more drama as the two elderly women Mrs Ncube and Ms Moyo traded insults and nearly exchanged blows.

Ms Moyo denied ever coaching Mrs Ncube how to practice witchcraft but people were taken aback when the latter started demonstrating what they do at night while engaging in acts of suspected witchcraft.

- Zim Metro

Tags: witchcraft, LowerGweru,

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