adminSukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A 62-YEAR-OLD Bulilima woman beat up her 85-year-old sister-in-law with a walking stick on the head until she died after accusing the elderly woman of bewitching her. Lovie Muthusi of Hingwe in Bulilima district accused Tshitema Sibanda of working together with her (Muthusi’s) stepsons based in South Africa to bewitch her.
Muthusi is married to Sibanda’s brother.
The altercation started after Muthusi found some clothes in her bedroom hut which her husband had received from his children in South Africa without her knowledge.
She confronted her husband and told him that she did not want to see the clothes in their homestead as they were being used as a weapon to bewitch her by her stepsons and sister-in-law.
When the old woman tried to intervene in a bid to resolve the conflict, she was attacked by Muthusi.
Sibanda fled but Muthusi pursued her and caught up with her. She then allegedly battered Sibanda with her own walking stick several times on the head until she lost consciousness.
Sibanda died upon arrival at Plumtree District Hospital a few hours later after succumbing to head injuries sustained during the attack.
Muthusi was arrested by the police on Friday last week.
She appeared on initial remand before Plumtree magistrate Gideon Ruvetsa yesterday facing a murder charge. She was remanded in custody to August 3.
Clemence Shawarira, prosecuting, said Muthusi had an argument with her husband, Koyi Sibanda, last Thursday over some clothes which her stepsons had sent from South Africa.
“Muthusi wasn’t happy that her husband had received some clothes from his sons in South Africa without her knowledge. She told her husband she didn’t want the clothes in their homestead as his sons and sister were trying to bewitch her. Her husband then summoned his sister and a village head to their homestead to discuss the matter,” said Shawarira.
He said Muthusi claimed her stepsons, husband, and sister-in-law were close and started accusing the old woman of working together with her nephews to bewitch her. Shawarira said the old woman denied the allegations and Muthusi went on to assault her with a walking stick that she was using.
“Her husband intervened and took the stick before she could further assault the woman. Sibanda left the homestead and proceeded to her home but Muthusi followed her while holding the broken stick and assaulted her repeatedly until the old woman fell to the ground unconscious as a result of the attack. She was rushed to Hingwe Clinic where she was referred to Plumtree District Hospital,” said Shawarira.
Online Reporter