Moffat Mungazi
Lovemore Kadzura
Weekender Reporter
A MAKONI family allegedly abandoned two mentally challenged relatives at a church shrine who were seeking healing, and is now refusing to take them back due to lack of improvement.
Consequently, the Guta RaJehovha Church dragged the Nduna family to Chief Makoni’s community court to compel the clan’s senior members, Johanne and Josiya to take their nephews and provide care.
Kudzanai Mukamba, the church’s secretary, represented GRJ in court.
He explained that the church had taken in the mentally challenged individuals when they fell ill.
However, their upkeep at the shrine became problematic.
“I am representing the Guta RaJehovha Church. We are church mates with the Nduna family, who have mentally challenged members. We took them at our church shrine when they fell ill. Their upkeep at the shrine was problematic. We met with Johanne on December 31, 2024, and advised him to collect his grandchildren from the shrine and seek treatment elsewhere. At the time, the female member was unmarried, but Johanne refused to take her, citing that it was not his responsibility. We reminded him that she was their relative, and it was their duty to care for her.
“As church leaders, we acknowledge that illness is unavoidable, but individuals should receive care from their relatives. We cannot abandon them to fend for themselves. Today, we request that the court orders the Nduna family to take responsibility for their upkeep.”
Johanne countered that their nephews have paternal relatives, who should provide assistance.
He also argued that the person who took them to the church shrine should be responsible for their care.
Johanne admitted that the individuals in question were their grandchildren, the children of their late aunt.
“They are indeed our grandchildren. They are our late aunt’s children. Their grandmother and mother are now late. The female member got married without my knowledge, and I am unaware of her whereabouts.
“She only returned when she developed mental health challenges, accompanied by her husband. They visited the Guta RaJehova shrine together.
“Her husband went to our in-laws for introductions, but did not approach us, the Ndunas. According to the rules, one must provide a next of kin for the church to contact. She developed mental health issues while at her husband’s homestead. I cannot take responsibility for them because she has her own parents. We attempted to locate her parents in Mozambique, but failed. Although we are the maternal relatives, I refuse to take them,” said Johanne.
Josiya also denied responsibility, claiming that their nephews have their own family.
Chief Makoni ordered the two family members to undergo an examination by his resident traditional healer.
The traditional healer determined that the illness originated from the Nduna side, where certain members allegedly cast evil spells on them.
It was revealed that Johanne and Josiya allegedly murdered their father, and his avenging spirit is now tormenting the family.
“The traditional healer revealed that the nephews’ illness originated from the Nduna side, which has members with ‘dirty hands’. The healer claimed he could redirect the spirit to torment the Ndunas and free the nephews.
“Johanne confessed to the traditional healer that, in their youth, he and his accomplices killed their father after being incited by their uncle, who accused him of wizardry,” the court messenger told the court.
Johanne admitted in court murdering his father.
“My brother, our uncle, and I killed our father after our uncle alleged that he was a wizard. I was young and naive, which is why they convinced me to participate in the murder,” said Johanne.
In its ruling, the court ordered the Ndunas to reclaim the nephews from the church and undergo a cleansing ceremony. However, the court dismissed the church’s claim of US$825 for the cost of caring for the ill members.
“The church has fulfilled its duty in caring for the sick members. However, these individuals have relatives — the Ndunas — who cannot abandon them at the church. They must take responsibility and locate their paternal relatives, but only after the cleansing ceremony to rescue the nephews. The church’s claim for costs is dismissed, as it is their duty to care for vulnerable individuals free of charge,” the court ruled.
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