Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A MUTASA man has dragged his nephew before Chief Mutasa’s community court, accusing him of repeatedly setting his kitchen huts on fire after blaming him for the death of his child.
Rason Dira said three of his kitchen huts were destroyed in separate fire incidents, the latest occurring shortly after the burial of his nephew, Tatenda Dira’s child in May.
According to Rason, the dispute began when Tatenda allegedly accused him of causing the child’s death through supernatural means, despite traditional healers reportedly concluding that the child had died from natural causes.
“My kitchen hut was burnt three times by my nephew. He believes I killed his child, but I had nothing to do with the death,” said Rason.
He said tensions within the family date back several years.
Rason said he moved back to his late parents’ homestead in 2015, where his brother and Tatenda were already living, but relations gradually deteriorated because of Tatenda’s behaviour.
“When I returned home, my brother and his son, Tatenda, were staying there. Two years later, our sister returned home after separating from her husband, and Tatenda attacked her with a machete,” he alleged.
He further claimed that Tatenda later attempted to stab his own father before being arrested for unrelated offences and serving a prison term.
“After his release, he got married and had a child. When the child later fell ill, that is when my problems with him started,” said Rason.
He said Tatenda contacted him seeking help when the child became sick.
“He called me and said his child was ill. He is close to prophets and faith healers. His father was at work, and I did not go there. Later, he came to my homestead with the child and some healers and demanded to enter my house.”
Rason said he refused, prompting an angry response from his nephew.
“He threatened me and said that if the child died, he would dump the body at my homestead,” he claimed.
According to Rason, the child later recovered, but another child subsequently died in May.
“He never informed us that the child was sick. When the child died, we attended the funeral, but he brought the body to my homestead and placed it outside my house, accusing me of killing his child. He even demanded that I eat the corpse,” he alleged.
Rason said the accusations persisted despite explanations from one of the healers accompanying Tatenda.
“His own healer told him that the child died because of nhova (a sunken or low fontanelle), but he continued accusing me of causing the death,” he said.
He alleged that the arson attacks began shortly after the burial.
“Two days after we buried the child, my kitchen hut was burnt. I suspected him because he never came to check on what had happened. The following week, while we were repairing the structure, it was burnt again, together with my late mother’s kitchen hut, which we were using temporarily.
“He warned me that worse things would happen,” he said.
Rason said the repeated fires and ongoing accusations ultimately forced him to seek intervention from Chief Mutasa.
Tatenda, however, denied the allegations and insisted he was being falsely accused because of existing family disputes.
“I did not burn those huts. I do not know how the fires started. I am only being blamed because he hates me,” he said.
In an effort to resolve the matter, Chief Mutasa directed the family to consult a traditional healer to establish the truth and ease tensions within the family.
The court heard that after consulting traditional healer Mbuya Chihera, she reportedly concluded that the elderly man was not responsible for the child’s death.
She also allegedly accused Tatenda of setting the huts on fire and linked the family’s misfortunes to the destruction of ancestral artefacts.
Mbuya Chihera advised family members to address their cultural and spiritual concerns instead of turning against one another.
In his closing remarks, Chief Mutasa urged the two relatives to put aside their differences and work towards reconciliation.
“Continued accusations and acts of revenge will only deepen this conflict. The family must find a way to restore peace and unity,” he said.
