Moffat Mungazi
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A BITTER family feud erupted before Chief Saurombe’s community court last Sunday when a son accused his mother of betraying his late father with his uncle, causing his father’s restless spirit to punish him with a mysterious illness.
The dramatic case, filled with accusations of infidelity, greedy, and vengeance, saw Matthew Chinawa (36) dragging his mother, Jane Muterandova, to the community court for recourse.
Chinawa alleged that for the past four years, he has been suffering from unexplained seizures that resemble epilepsy, and multiple consultations with traditional healers had revealed that his late father was behind his suffering.
He claimed that traditional healers had revealed to him that his mother was redirecting his father’s avenging spirit to him, even though it should have been seeking retribution from her.
“My father, who passed away 14 years ago, is turning in his grave because of my mother’s infidelity with his own brother. Traditional healers told me that it is my late father causing all my suffering.
“It has been four years since my sickness started, and every traditional healer I visit confirms that my father is bitter in his grave. He is seeking vengeance because my mother betrayed him with my uncle.
“My mother is redirecting my father’s vengeful spirit to me instead of taking responsibility for her actions,” said Chinawa, his voice shaking with emotions.
He said after his father’s death, Muterandova and his uncle continued with their relationship, further fuelling his father’s rage from beyond the grave.
Muterandova, however, dismissed her son’s accusations, arguing that while indeed his mysterious illness was due to his late father’s vengeance, it was a consequence of his own actions.
She told the court that Chinawa had selfishly grabbed his late sister’s bride price, and sold his late father’s cattle, actions that had angered his father before his passing on.
“His older sister died, but her husband had not paid any bride price before her demise. He gave us a car as compensation during her funeral. My son took the car, sold it, and squandered the money. He did not share it with his father’s brothers or me. His late father remains bitter in his grave because his brothers and myself never enjoyed our daughter’s bride price,” said Muterandova.
She also accused her son of squandering his late father’s wealth, selling off his cattle.
“After taking the bride price, Chinawa also disposed of his father’s cattle.
I believe this is what is causing his mysteriously illness. I have told him on countless occasions, and advised him to put his house in order, but he insists that I am the one causing his father to punish him,” she added.
Muterandova further argued that she had not refused to seek traditional cleansing for her son, but simply had no money for the process.
“I told him that I had no money, and we needed to raise funds first. We even set dates to visit a healer together, but before we could go, I was shocked to hear that he had brought the matter before this court,” she said, shaking her head in disbelief.
Chinawa, however, was unmoved by his mother’s explanations.
He insisted that his actions regarding his sister’s bride price were justified, and that his mother had no claim over the car or its proceeds.
“I shared the money from the car sale with my uncle and brother. I do not understand why my mother insists that she was also entitled to the money from the car.
“The real issue here is that my father’s spirit is restless because she was in love with my uncle even before his death. Their relationship blossomed after my father’s death, and I know that is why my father remains bitter,” Chinawa claimed.
He also made an explosive accusation, claiming that traditional healers had revealed that his mother and uncle were responsible for his father’s death.
“The healers told me that my mother and uncle killed my father, and now she is pushing his avenging spirit to me. That is why I am suffering,” he alleged, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Muterandova vehemently denied the allegations, admitting that she had a relationship with her brother-in-law, but only after her husband’s death.
“When my husband was still alive, I was never in a relationship with my brother-in-law. I later had a relationship with him after my husband’s death, and yes, he was married at the time. I am in pain because my son is labelling me a prostitute and witch,” she lamented.
She maintained that before his death, her husband was equally troubled by Chinawa’s reckless behaviour.
“Before his father’s death, he was bitter because this boy had squandered his wealth by selling all his cattle. Now he claims that I am the one who is responsible for his suffering,” she said angrily.
After hearing both sides, Chief Saurombe ordered Muterandova to gather her relatives so that they could consult healers together.
He stressed the importance of resolving the matter through ancestral appeasement to prevent further misfortunes in the family.
“This is a delicate matter, and should be handled properly. The Chinawa family must sit down with Muterandova’s relatives and consult traditional healers together. If the spirit of the deceased is indeed unsettled, it must be appeased so that peace can return to this family,” Chief Saurombe ruled.
The matter was adjourned to March 2.
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