Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A LONG-RUNNING land feud in Honde Valley exploded into sensational claims of witchcraft, goblins, and spiritual intimidation when two women clashed before Chief Mutasa’s community court last Saturday.
Evelyn Danama accused fellow villager, Doreen Katswa, of using dark powers to torment her and wrest control of a disputed plot.
She told the court that relations soured after she had initially allowed Katswa temporary use of part of her farmland following a family tragedy.
What began as a boundary dispute has spiralled into allegations of ritual objects and occult threats, with both women trading accusations of harnessing supernatural forces to gain the upper hand.
Chief Mutasa’s community court was left to decide, not only the fate of the contested land, but also how to address the fear and mistrust now poisoning relations between the neighbours in one of the valley’s most bizarre disputes to date.
Danama testified: “My parents and siblings all died, so Katswa came to my homestead and asked for land to farm. I gave her a small piece. She knew I was an orphan and thought she could bully me out of my land because I had no one to protect me.”
She claimed tensions escalated when Katswa allegedly attempted to erect permanent structures on the plot.
“She later wanted to drill a borehole, and I told her I had only given her the land for temporary use, not for permanent structures like boreholes,” said Danama.
Although she stopped the borehole project, Katswa allegedly continued using the land and repeatedly dragged her to court.
“She approached the civil court and reported that I was sending people to kill her. The court granted her protection orders against me,” Danama told the hearing.
Danama told the court that the feud escalated after Katswa accused her of malicious damage to property involving a fence on the disputed land.
“She reported a criminal matter, saying I damaged her fence, yet she had fenced my land, and that fence is on my property,” Danama said, further alleging that Katswa resorted to spiritual intimidation to drive her away.
“She would come to my land and leave red cloths and crosses to scare me. She threatens that her snakes will bite me and her cats will scratch me,” she claimed.
Katswa, however, dismissed the accusations and portrayed herself instead as a spiritual healer who once helped Danama during alleged supernatural disturbances at her homestead.
“Since 1985, I have been a spiritual healer, and this woman called me in 2013. There were goblins on her land — a male and a female — as well as a clay pot with blood. She wanted me to remove them,” Katswa testified.
She told the court she carried out cleansing rituals at Danama’s home and was later awarded the disputed plot.
“She said if I managed to remove them, I could take the land. I removed the goblins, and she gave me the land,” claimed Katswa, adding that Danama later demanded an additional US$40 payment.
Relations soured further when Danama allegedly tried to reverse the arrangement.
“She started serving me notices, but refused to return my money,” said Katswa, accusing her rival of destroying crops and burning spiritual paraphernalia used in her healing work.
“She slashed my crops, and when I asked why, she said I could do nothing to her even though I was a witch. She even burnt my knobkerries and other paraphernalia I use in my line of work,” alleged Katswa.
The self-proclaimed healer said she eventually reported the matter to the village head’s court after repeated confrontations.
Danama, however, strongly denied ever hiring Katswa to remove goblins or agreeing to hand over the land permanently.
“I never contracted her to remove any goblins from my home,” she insisted. Katswa countered that members of Danama’s family had witnessed the rituals. “When I removed those things, her children, Roy and Faith, were present,” she claimed.
Chief Mutasa stepped in to calm the heated exchanges, urging both parties to stop abusing the courts over their feud.
He reminded them that a magistrates’ court order had already barred Katswa from the disputed land, and warned against dragging the matter through endless legal battles.
The chief suggested that if Katswa was genuinely owed money by the Danama family, arrangements could be made to repay her.
Katswa, however, flatly rejected the idea.
“I no longer want their money. What shocks me is that she still refers people who need help to me,” she said.
Ultimately, Chief Mutasa urged the women to seek a peaceful resolution, cautioning them against escalating tensions through threats, accusations, and spiritual intimidation.
He stressed that reconciliation was the only way to prevent the dispute from leaving lasting scars on the community.
