Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A HONDE Valley woman has accused her co-wife of stealing her undergarments for alleged ritual purposes, claiming the incidents were followed by the deaths of several of her children and grandchildren as well as unexplained prolonged bleeding.
The allegations emerged before Chief Mutasa’s community court, where Lilian Bvute detailed a long-running family dispute involving her husband, Johannes Bukuta, and his other wives in a polygamous marriage.
Bvute told the court that she and Bukuta endured years of hardship together before improving their fortunes through banana farming.
She said their relationship changed when their financial situation improved and Bukuta began marrying additional wives.
“We suffered together for many years after we got married, and things only started improving after we had worked hard together. But when life became rosy, my husband started marrying more wives, and they began benefiting from what I had also worked for,” she said.
According to Bvute, her troubles began when her undergarments repeatedly went missing from her home.
“At one point there were three of us in the marriage. That is when my panties started disappearing on countless occasions. I became suspicious because the incidents kept happening, and I suspected they could have been taken for ritual purposes so that my husband would turn against me,” she said.
Her suspicions deepened, she said, after she allegedly discovered one of her missing undergarments on the roof of the third wife’s house.
“I confronted her and asked where my panties had come from. She told me she had found them in a banana field, but I was not convinced,” said Bvute.
She claimed that shortly afterwards she suffered the loss of a child.
“Soon after that my baby died, and because of everything that had happened, I started believing there was something more to the missing underwear,” she said.
Bvute further alleged that during a search of her co-wife’s house she found more of her missing undergarments wrapped in a red cloth inside a bag.
“I entered her house and found my panties inside her bag. They were wrapped in a red cloth. I called neighbours to witness what I had found,” she alleged.
She linked the alleged discoveries to a series of family tragedies.
“My children started dying one after another. I lost an 18-year-old, a 14-year-old and several babies. The pain has been unbearable, and I believe these incidents cannot simply be ignored,” she said.
Bvute also told the court that she experienced prolonged and unexplained bleeding whenever she stayed at her matrimonial home.
“I was bleeding continuously and my father eventually advised me to leave my husband’s home for a while. I went to stay with my sister and the bleeding stopped. Every time I returned to my matrimonial home, the bleeding started again. When I left, it stopped.
“That made me believe something unusual was happening at that home,” she said.
She further claimed that her husband dismissed her concerns when she raised them with him.
“He told me I should not complain about being bewitched because, according to him, I had prevented him from marrying other wives for 19 years. I could not understand why he would say that after everything we had gone through together,” she said.
Bvute alleged that the dispute later turned violent.
“He struck me with a knobkerrie and I broke my hand. My parents demanded compensation for the injury, but he only offered a goat, which they rejected,” she said.
She also asked the court to consider compensating her for her contribution towards developing the family’s banana farming project.
“I worked hard when we had nothing. I feel it is unfair that I contributed so much to building our livelihood only for others to benefit from it,” she said.
Bukuta disputed portions of his wife’s account, but confirmed that discussions had taken place regarding compensation for the injury she allegedly sustained.
“I was supposed to provide a beast as compensation for her injured hand, but her parents did not accept it. Whenever I tried to contact them afterwards, I was informed they were out of the country,” he said.
The couple’s daughter, Memory Bukuta, also testified, claiming her family had experienced numerous losses following the arrival of the third wife.
“Since my father married the third wife, I have lost more than eight children. Members of the family believe there could be something behind these unusual events,” she said.
In his remarks, Chief Mutasa said the court could not determine the cause of the alleged misfortunes or the accusations of suspected witchcraft.
“Since you believe there may be causes that have not yet been established, you should seek guidance and consult those you trust for assistance,” he said.
