Family haunted by unpaid spirit debt

Weekender Reporter
A FAMILY in Mutasa is locked in a bitter dispute over alleged undeclared compensation for a slain relative — a controversy now blamed for a string of mysterious deaths and misfortunes.
The case centres on George Zengeni, whose late father is accused of secretly pocketing compensation from the Bhasvi family more than 30 years ago, after they allegedly killed a Zengeni relative and sought to appease the feared avenging spirit, known locally as ngozi.
Florence Zengeni, representing the family, told Chief Mutasa’s community court that in 1991 the Bhasvis arrived with a child said to be possessed by the spirit of the slain relative, and offered traditional compensation.
“Our late uncle, Felix Zengeni, took charge of the matter. He later returned and showed us about US$600, claiming it was equivalent to three cattle meant for appeasement rituals,” she said.
But Florence alleged Felix never revealed the full extent of what he received, nor did he complete the required rituals.
“That money was meant to prepare traditional beer and facilitate the appeasement, but nothing was done. He never involved the family further,” she testified.
The Bhasvi family later claimed they had also paid eight cattle as part of the settlement — a revelation that has deepened suspicions.
Florence argued that the failure to properly appease the spirit has cursed the family ever since.
“We have suffered unexplained deaths and persistent misfortunes because the spirit was never settled,” she said.
The case has now escalated to Chief Mutasa’s court, where the community awaits a ruling on whether the alleged “blood money” mishandling is behind the family’s tragic run of losses.
“As a family, we are not at peace. People are dying and things are not going well. We believe this is because the appeasement was never completed,” said Florence, adding that years later, she received what she described as a spiritual revelation while at church, which she believes exposed the root cause of the family’s troubles.
“I had a vision during a church service which pointed to the unresolved avenging spirit. That is when I decided to engage my cousin so that we could address the matter,” she said.
However, efforts to resolve the issue have been marred by disagreements over the action to take.
Florence insisted on handling the matter through the church, while George reportedly pushed for traditional methods.
“When I approached him, he suggested that we consult traditional healers, but I refused because of my faith. I believe the message I received was from God,” she said, further claiming that during a later visit to Buhera with her mother, the Bhasvi family revealed that they had paid more than what had been disclosed.
“They told us they had paid eight cattle for the appeasement, not just three as we had been told. This raised serious concerns about what really happened,” she said.
In his defence, George denied knowledge of any additional compensation, and distanced himself from the allegations, saying he was not directly involved at the time.
“I was working in Harare then, but I would visit my father regularly and he never mentioned receiving cattle. As far as I know, no cattle ever came from Buhera for that purpose,” said George, attributing the ongoing dispute to differences in belief systems between him and Florence, which made them not to agree on how to resolve the matter.
“The problem is that she wants to handle everything through the church. But these are cultural issues that require traditional approaches. We cannot communicate with the deceased through the church,” he said, adding that the disagreement forced him to turn his back.
“I decided to distance myself and let her handle it her way because we could not agree,” he said, further questioning why he had been singled out in the case, arguing that he is neither the head of the family nor the appropriate person to answer for his late father’s alleged actions.
“I do not understand why I am being dragged before this court. There are senior family members and uncles who are still alive. I am not the family figure head,” he said.
Chief Mutasa ruled that Florence had erred in bringing the case against George, noting that the responsibility for the alleged actions rested with the deceased.
“You cannot hold George accountable for what his late father is alleged to have done. If there was any wrongdoing, it was done by Felix, not him,” said Chief Mutasa, further directing that the matter be referred back to senior family members, particularly surviving uncles, who are traditionally responsible for guiding such processes.
“You must involve your elders and follow the correct family hierarchy. You cannot take these matters into your own hands. Your uncles must lead and give direction on how to proceed,” he said.
He ordered George and other family members to consult their elders and return with a unified position on how to resolve the longstanding dispute.