Online Reporter
Nyore Madzianike
Senior Reporter
A COUPLE from Epworth in Harare has been jailed for nine months after it was found guilty of detaining a neighbour’s 15-year-old daughter for nearly 10 days with the intention to initiate her into the manjuzu cult.
Fortunate Anesu Nyandoro (30) and her husband Tadiwanashe Benjamin (25) were initially jailed for 12 months when they appeared before Epworth Magistrate Ethel Chichera.
Three months of their sentence were set aside for five years on condition that they do not commit an offence involving unlaw detention.
The State led by Mr Vincent Chidembo has it that on September 24, the 15-year-old left her aunt’s place and visited the couple, who wanted to give her some herb to drink.
Mr Chidembo said the couple then decided to keep the girl at their place without the knowledge of her custodians.
The court heard that when the girl’s aunt inquired about the girl’s whereabouts, the couple professed ignorance, prompting her to file a missing person report with the police.
After days of search, the girl’s aunt got wind that she was at the couple’s place of residence, leading to their arrest.
It was during their court hearing that it emerged that they wanted to initiate the girl into manjuzu.
