Online Reporter
Spiwe Sarakunze
Herald Reporter
A HARARE woman has approached the Civil Court seeking a protection order against her brother, whom she accused of threatening to kill for pushing for the erection of a tombstone at their father’s grave.
Esther Chirume accused her brother, Admire Chirume, of threatening to assault and kill her because he was opposed to the idea.
“My brother is very violent. l am afraid of him. He said that he wants to kill me since my other sibblings and I are planning to put a tombstone on our father’s grave,” she said.
Esther told the court that Admire chased her when they visited their rural home in Shurugwi.
“I do not feel comfortable attending funerals of our relatives since he told me that he may bury me alive,” she said.
Esther said Admire told her that no one in the family was allowed to contribute anything or to think of putting up the tombstone for their father, and if they did so, they would all die.
She told the court that she did not feel safe since Admire was watching her closely to ensure that she did not do anything related to the tombstone.
“It is now 26 years since the death of my father, and my siblings and I had planned to put a tombstone on our father’s grave to remember him,” Esther said.
“My brother is the one who is against that and he even swore that if we try to go ahead with the plan, there will be bloodshed in our family.”
Esther almost broke into tears in court claiming that she was being abused in her own father’s house.
She said she was puzzled by her brother’s behaviour since she was not looking for contributions from him because she was capable of footing the bill for the whole programme.
“He calls me a prostitute and that l am useless just because he does not want us to put up the tombstone. He beats my children and harasses them,” she said.
Esther also claimed that her brother does not allow her to visit the village and she is afraid of talking to their relatives for fear that her brother would accuse them of influencing her.
The presiding magistrate Ms Meenal Narotam granted her the order.
