Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A HARARE man has accused his maternal uncles of bringing misfortune upon his family after allegedly collecting and spending his sister’s bride price without his knowledge.
The man, Raymond Gotosa, claims the incident is connected to mysterious spiritual attacks now affecting his sister, Sheila.
The matter was heard before Chief Mutasa’s community court last Saturday.
Gotosa told the court that he and his sister were raised under their mother’s family name, Muori, after being taken from their father’s home as children.
“I grew up in the Muori family. My mother is a Muori, and so I used her surname until I connived with my paternal uncles to use my real surname,” he said.
He recounted a childhood marked by uncertainty over his identity and belonging. “When I was in Grade Two, I was taken back to my father’s home. After five months, the Muori family came and took us back, saying we were their family and not the Gotosa family,” he explained.
As he grew older, Gotosa said he began experiencing unexplained personal challenges, including mysteriously losing money.
Seeking answers, he approached his maternal uncles, Nicholas and Lainos Muori, who advised him to perform traditional obligations.
“They said I had to pay maredzwa since I grew up within my mother’s family,” he testified.
Gotosa complied, but the problems persisted. His uncles later told him to “marry” his late mother in a ritual, claiming his father had never married her. “I did so, but nothing changed,” he said.
The situation worsened when his sister began experiencing frightening episodes. “My sister, Sheila, started facing mysterious problems where she slithers like a snake and speaks foreign tongues,” Gotosa told the court.
He accused his maternal uncles of bringing misfortune upon his family after secretly collecting and spending his sister’s bride price, claiming the act triggered a series of mysterious spiritual attacks.
“She acts as if she is dead. She foams at the mouth as though she is dying,” he said. He added that during some of these episodes, Sheila would fall into a trance and accuse their uncles of being behind her suffering.
“When under a trance, she shouts out my uncles’ names, saying they are the ones causing it,” said Gotosa.
He said the problems began after his uncles received Sheila’s bride price of US$437 without informing him, despite being her only sibling.
“I was shocked to hear that my uncles received my sister’s bride price and spent the money without informing me.
“I am her only brother, and I should have been there, but they did everything behind my back,” he said.
Gotosa recounted how he once consulted a prophet together with his uncle, Lainos in search of answers to Sheila’s strange behaviour.
“The prophet accused my uncle of being behind my sister’s suffering. He did not answer or comment on it,” claimed Gotosa.
He further told the court that tragedy had struck his own household.
“I got married, and had two children who died mysteriously. My uncles never attended the funerals,” he said.
According to him, his uncle often dismissed traditional explanations and advised him to rely solely on prayer.
“My uncle advised me to pray, saying that is the only solution. They say that everyone has challenges and that mine are not exceptional,” said Gotosa.
Another prophet, he added, suggested that the problems affecting his family were linked to the Muori lineage.
In response, his uncle Nicholas Muori refuted the allegations, denying that the family was responsible for Sheila’s suffering.
However, he admitted that the family had received her bride price.
“We received Raymond’s sister’s dowry. It was over US$430 that we collected with the intention of giving the father back the money later on,” said Nicholas.
He added that the family later learnt Sheila had begun experiencing strange health problems, but initially believed her condition was linked to their late mother’s displeasure.
“We thought our late mother was angry that her grandchildren were no longer visiting the family,” he said.
Nicholas said he had encouraged Gotosa to return to the maternal family home, hoping that doing so would end his misfortunes.
“I asked him to come back home, thinking maybe his challenges would end. It was seven years after he had left to stay with his father,” he explained.
He denied claims that prophets had accused the Muori family of causing the misfortunes.
“We were never accused of being behind all the bad things happening in his life by the prophets he is talking about,” said Nicholas.
The matter had previously been heard by Headman Saruchera, who confirmed that the uncles were instructed to return the money collected from Sheila’s bride price. He said the Muori family had received lobola they were not entitled to.
Headman Saruchera also expressed concern over Sheila’s condition, describing her frightening episodes.
“When it starts happening, she develops scales like a snake. She needs help.
“The siblings need help to know whether the uncles are behind it or not. The situation is really bad with that girl. When it starts, everyone runs away because people are afraid of the snake-like form she takes,” he said.
Chief Mutasa urged the family to put aside blame and unite in seeking solutions. He emphasised the importance of addressing Sheila’s condition while restoring harmony within the extended family.
The chief advised the relatives to collectively consult healers and spiritual leaders to determine the source of the problem and help the young woman recover.
“Resolve the bride price dispute peacefully and ensure that cultural obligations are handled properly to avoid further conflict,” said Chief Mutasa.
