Pastor dragged to court over a�?witcha�� slur

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu
A MANGWE woman has dragged a pastor from the Everlasting Church in Zion Church to court demanding $200 as compensation for labelling her a witch.

Debra Nyathi from Ezimnyama area told Plumtree magistrate, Taurai Manwere that Pastor Tjedza Moyo had announced in public that she was responsible for the mysterious death of people in their area and that she was yet to kill more.

She said she expected $200 from the pastor as compensation for defamation of character.

a�?I was informed that Pastor Moyo announced that I was a witch during an all-night prayer that was held in May at our village. He told people that I had bewitched his daughter who died recently and that I had killed several villagers from the area.

a�?He also told people that they had to be careful as I was targeting to kill more villagers,a�? she said.

Nyathi said the pastor was summoned by the village head over the matter and he went on to pass the same sentiments to her before village head Magcobafuthi.

She said villagers from the area were now shunning her and accusing her of witchcraft following Pastor Moyoa��s accusations.

Pastor Moyo denied having accused Nyathi of killing community members but admitted to have accused her of bewitching his daughter.

a�?I didna��t say that Nyathi had killed villagers but I only mentioned that she had bewitched my daughter. She admitted to me that she got pissed off after my daughter urinated in her homestead and as a result she collected her urine and bewitched it. A few days later my daughter died,a�? he said.

He said Nyathi was now making false allegations against him in a bid to raise money.

Plumtree magistrate, Taurai Manwere advised Nyathi and Pastor Moyo to come back to court on January 23 for a verdict.

The pair recently appeared in our sister paper Umthunywa being accused of killing villagers.

Community members from Ezimnyama area in Mangwe alleged that Pastor Moyo had connived with Nyathi who was his girlfriend and killed four people after praying for them using needles.

Nyathi was reportedly supplying Pastor Moyo with names of people she wanted killed as they were fighting over a leadership role within the community.