Moffat Mungazi
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A TENSE and unnerving case has captivated the Chimanimani community, with the alleged spirit of a late thief demanding US$3 500 as appeasement for his death.
The spirit, claiming to belong to Peter Punza, a man whose untimely death remains shrouded in mystery, is manifesting on his former boss, Daniel Madziwana’s daughter.
It is demanding that the US$3 500 should be given to his surviving children as appeasement.
“The money should be given to my children because they are struggling since my death. That money will help them,” the spirit allegedly said.
The case was recently heard before Chief Saurombe’s community court, where it was revealed that Punza allegedly stole some trees from his employer’s nursery.
He later returned the trees after suffering from a strange illness.
“It all started when Punza allegedly stole the trees and reported them missing to his boss. Suspicious of his worker’s involvement, Daniel, along with his brother Jealousy Madziwana, consulted a traditional healer to expose the thief.
“The traditional healer named Punza as the thief. Upon being exposed, Punza fell gravely ill, prompting him to return the stolen trees. However, the traditional healer’s response to the situation took a dark turn,” said Chief Saurombe.
Punza’s spirit then took over, manifesting on the girl and explaining further. “The healer warned them that it was irreversible, but they went ahead and consulted him, leading to my death. They begged him not to kill me, but he told them it was too late and that they should not have consulted him in the first place if they did not want the thief (me) dead,” said the avenging spirit.
The tragedy unfolded as Punza passed away shortly after returning the stolen trees.
However, Madziwana’s daughter began to exhibit strange symptoms, leading her father to seek help from traditional healers, who advised him to report the matter to Chief Saurombe’s community court.
The case took a dramatic turn during the court session, with Madziwana demanding the transferring of the matter to another community court.
“I never killed anyone, and if this court does not want to believe and exonerate me, then the matter should be transferred to another court. I have rights too. I deserve to be heard too. The accusations against me are false. I came here to get help because I believe the matter was not dealt with fairly by the former acting Chief Saurombe,” he said.
Chief Saurombe was unrelenting.
He reprimanded Madziwana for attempting to avoid responsibility.
“You cannot run away from justice. The spirit of this man is upon you. You must face the consequences of your actions, and no matter which court you go to, you will remain the culprit.
“This matter was once dealt with by former acting Chief Saurombe, and it is alleged that you confessed. You were only left with appeasing the deceased’s spirit. You claimed that these were all lies, and today we have former acting Chief Saurombe in this court to testify,” Chief Saurombe said sternly.
Former acting Chief Saurombe said: “I was there when you confessed. It was clear to me that you had a hand in your employee’s death. You now seek to shift the blame, but the truth will not change. The spirit has been awakened, and it demands payment.”
Chief Saurombe emphasised the importance of appeasing the spirit, warning Madziwana that failure to comply will result in continued suffering.
“It is sad that it has come to this. Punza was a thief, yes, but he did not deserve to die like that. The spirit’s demands cannot be ignored,” he said.
The matter was adjourned to a later date.
Online Reporter