Moffat Mungazi
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A HARARE man, Hardwork Nyakunu, who has been plagued by persistent bloating and passing excessive gas (farting), has made startling accusations against his two sisters-in-law, alleging that they bewitched him during an unannounced visit to his home.
Nyakunu claims that their intentions were sinister, aiming to take his life, just as he believes they were responsible for the mysterious death of his wife last year.
The bizarre allegations came to light last Saturday when Nyakunu appeared before Chief Mutasa’s community court, detailing the sudden and inexplicable decline in his health after Jenny Arifasi and her other sister’s overnight stay at his residency in April.
“They did not even bother to inform me that they would be visiting that day. I only found out around 4pm, when I was on my way home from work. Yes, indeed, I told them that I fell ill after their visit because that is exactly what happened. I became ill after they left, and the fact that they did not warn me about their visit proves they wanted to catch me off guard,” he said.
Nyakunu claimed that his stomach complications began shortly after his sisters-in-law’s departure, emphasising that he had never experienced such symptoms before, and that the pain, discomfort, and inability to eat were eerily similar to what his late wife endured before her death in May last year.
“My wife, who was their sister, passed away last year in May, and the symptoms she exhibited before her death are identical to what I am experiencing now after their visit. I strongly suspect that they had a hand in this,” alleged Nyakunu.
Nyakunu revealed that he is currently under medical care.
“The doctor advised that I undergo an endoscopy. My stomach is extremely painful, it is making strange noises, and I am struggling to eat. I never experienced these symptoms before, but they started after these two women visited me without warning,” he said.
Nyakunu further expressed his suspicions regarding his sisters-in-law’s involvement in his wife’s illness.
“When my wife fell ill, they took her to a traditional healer, who then blamed my own relatives for her condition. I was shocked when I fell ill in the same manner after their visit. It suggests that they bewitched their own sister — my wife — and now they are after me. It was never my relatives,” he claimed.
In a dramatic twist, Nyakunu stunned the court by producing what he alleged was the food his sisters-in-law had left at his home following their April visit.
“I have even brought the food they left that day as evidence,” he declared, presenting the food as an exhibit to support his claims.
One of the accused sisters-in-law — Jenny Arifasi — vehemently denied the allegations, arguing that their visit was merely a brief stopover on their way to Murehwa.
“On April 11, 2025, our auntie called us to visit her at her Murehwa home. We decided to visit Nyakunu, our late sister’s husband, en-route Murehwa to pay our respects and catch up with him,” she said.
Arifasi said they arrived at Nyakunu’s residence just as he was returning from work.
He invited them to cook, but they declined, having already eaten at a relative’s house in Harare.
They spent the night and departed the following morning.
Arifasi recounted that three days later, Nyakunu informed her that he was unwell, claiming that his condition began after their visit.
“He asked me what we had done to him. I inquired about his diet, and he suggested that he might come to stay at my home if his health did not improve,” she said, adding that Nyakunu continued to call her for four consecutive days, accusing them of plotting to harm and eliminate him.
“He claimed that his stomach ache was identical to what our late sister, his wife, had experienced before her death. I asked him if he was insinuating that we had bewitched our sister, leading to her death.
“He replied in the affirmative,” said Arifasi, adding that their brother had intervened, urging them to resolve the matter amicably before it escalated.
“However, the truth is, we did not cook for him. Instead, he bought food for us, and we left some behind when we departed,” she said.
Chief Mutasa dismissed Nyakunu’s accusations, advising him to focus on medical diagnosis and treatment, rather than attributing his illness to witchcraft.
“There is always a first time for everything. Your symptoms — a perpetually bloated stomach — do not necessarily indicate witchcraft. It could be acid reflux or an ulcer. Undergo medical tests and seek help.
“This is not a matter of witchcraft, but rather a medical issue. Examine your diet, and note that passing gas is not uncommon or indicative of witchcraft,” he said.
Chief Mutasa counselled Nyakunu to follow the doctor’s instructions and undergo an endoscopic procedure to determine the cause of his illness.
Online Reporter