Online Reporter
Lovemore Kadzura
Weekender Reporter
A MAKONI villager who posed as a headman has landed in trouble after presiding over a sensitive murder case involving an avenging spirit (ngozi), despite lacking authority.
Tapfumaneyi Mwendazviuya, of Mwendazviuya Village, is accused of overstepping his role by handling a case reserved for the chief’s court.
Though he only assists his father, Headman Mwendazviuya, Tapfumaneyi allegedly demanded cattle as compensation and facilitated payments between the families involved.
The case concerned a man who murdered his live-in girlfriend after catching her with another man.
Tapfumaneyi is said to have demanded one beast as a “court fee” and ordered the offender’s family to pay 10 beasts to the victim’s relatives.
However, murder cases and matters involving avenging spirits fall strictly under the jurisdiction of the chief’s court due to their cultural and spiritual sensitivity.
The matter came to light when Chief Makoni’s aide, Robert Samuel, overheard discussions about the case while travelling by bus.
“I was shocked to hear that Headman Mwendazviuya’s son had presided over a murder case. He demanded a beast for cleansing and facilitated compensation, but such cases are strictly for the chief’s court,” said Samuel.
He warned that the flawed process could not prevent the wrath of an avenging spirit.
“I told the families that the beasts they paid cannot stop ngozi from tormenting them. Even the headman admitted the process was wrong,” added Samuel.
Samuel further revealed that tensions erupted at the victim’s funeral in Norton, where relatives fought over the money received.
Tapfumaneyi first challenged Samuel for being the complainant, arguing that he had no capacity to haul him before the chief’s court, but later apologised for handling the case.
He told the court that a fine of a beast, two goats in addition to US$60 was too heavy for him.
“Samuel stays very far away from my area. He has no jurisdiction to report me because he does not stay in my jurisdiction. He cannot stand against me in court as the complainant.
“The chief is the one who must have summoned me and be the complainant in the matter. I did not handle the case, but I was just a go-between for the families who had already made their agreements at the police station.
“I am very sorry for what I did as it was out of ignorance. The family paid three goats as court fee, not a beast as alleged by Samuel. How can I pay a beast as a fine when I just got three goats?” he quipped in court.
Chief Makoni ruled that Tapfumaneyi had grossly erred in handling the case, which was above his jurisdiction.
He added that he was not remorseful as he was challenging the authority of the chief by arguing that his messenger had no power to summon him to the court.
He further said the process was flawed, and nothing was done by the offending family to appease the avenging spirit despite losing 10 beasts.
“Tapfumaneyi is not even the headman, but is just assisting his father to run the village. He does not respect my authority.
“I am going to recommend to Headman Mwendazviuya to find an appropriate person to assist him run the village. Ngozi is a very delicate issue, which requires expert handling by this court only.
“In this case, the dead person’s spirit neither manifested nor demanded anything, yet Tapfumaneyi ordered a compensation of 10 beasts.
“The avenging spirit should direct how it wants to be compensated, and in this case nothing of that sort happened. Both families risk the wrath of the avenging spirit once it starts manifesting. He is fined a beast and two goats,” ruled Chief Makoni.
