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Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A Nyanga family has been fined 30 goats for contempt of a traditional court.
The Mandikonza family was on three different occasions summoned to appear before Acting Chief Saunyama’s court but failed to turn up.
Acting Chief Saunyama said he summoned 19 members of the Mandikonza family to appear before his court, but only three of them came.
“We are tired of people who abscond court sessions without giving any valid reasons. We have summoned the Mandikonza family on three different occasions to appear before this court, but they have defied the summons.
“We want them here for us to ascertain what is causing deaths, mysterious illnesses and bad luck in their family. It is their children who are being affected and being tormented, and yet they do not care.
“By absconding, it shows that they do not respect the traditional leadership as well as the Government as this court is recognised by the Central Authority. For their defiance, I am charging them with contempt of court,” thundered the chief.
Acting Chief Saunyama said every family member who absconded the court last week on Friday would pay a fine of two goats.
A total of 16 members of the family were absent.
The applicant, Charles Mandikonza, told the court that his sisters were bewitching him.
He said his sisters told him that they would not appear before the court.
“My children suffer from different ailments and misfortunes that I cannot explain. I have tried to engage my sisters to spare my family and only target me, but they dismiss me.
“They have also influenced other family members to go against me. If this court fails to assist me, they will eventually kill me. Their goblins will feast on my defenceless children. This court should order our family to consult traditional healers so that the witches and wizards are named and shamed,” said Mandikonza.
However, one of his uncles who was present turned the tables against Mandikonza and accused him of possessing goblins.
“This is not the first time that we are hearing this issue, Charles is on the receiving end of his angry goblins. We once went for consultations as a family and he was exposed.
“The traditional healer told him that in 2013, he obtained goblins from one Sekuru Sithole and he admitted to this. It was revealed that it is those goblins that are now tormenting his family.
“That is why other family members are not here today. They are tired of him shifting the blame on everyone else, save for him,” he said.
However, Mandikonza vehemently denied his uncle’s claims, stating that he only consulted Sekuru Sithole to help him recover his stolen cattle.
Acting Chief Saunyama ordered the Mandikonza family to have a family meeting and come back to his court with feedback on September 29.
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