Online Reporter
Spiwe Sarakunze
Herald Reporter
A HARARE man has won a protection order against his sister, whose live-in lover, a sangoma, has been physically abusing him in his house and threatening to take it over.
Simon Gunyere told Harare Civil Court magistrate Ms Johanna Mukwesha that problems started when he decided to take in his sister Tsitsi Bopoto since she had nowhere to go.
He said the sister, in turn, brought her lover, a sangoma with her and he has been staying in his house without his consent.
“He is not a tenant or a relative, and I never agreed to him staying in my house. But now, he behaves as if he owns the place,” he said.
“He insults me, harasses my wife, and even dictates what happens with the money from the rooms I rent out.”
He said the situation took a turn for the worse after the sangoma allegedly physically assaulted him during a heated argument when he told him to leave.
“He slapped me, and when I tried to confront him about it, he threatened to ‘deal with me spiritually’ if I continued resisting their stay,” said Gunyere.
Gunyere further claimed that Bopoto had become hostile and was verbally abusive, accusing him of jealousy and interfering with her love life.
“I was just trying to help my sister, but it has become a battle for my own space and dignity. I hope this ends here.”
He also said his sister had repeatedly insulted him and his wife in front of neighbours, claiming that she had more rights to the house than he did.
“She tells people that I am not a real man because I cannot control my own house,” Gunyere said.
“She humiliates me in the community and shouts at my children, claiming they have no respect for her boyfriend. Yet I never permitted them to live at my house together.”
The court also heard that the sangoma had taken it upon himself to chase some of the tenants despite Gunyere being the rightful owner of the property.
“He pockets the money and says it is his payment for his spiritual protection of the property. He is treating my home like his shrine,” Gunyere said.
In response, Bopoto accused her brother of trying to destroy her happiness and discriminating against her lover simply because of his profession.
“My brother is the bitter one, he doesn’t want to see me happy because my man is not a businessman or a churchgoer like him,” she said.
“I have a right to love whomever I choose. That house is also my home. I grew up there and he thinks because our parents left it to him, he can kick me out like a dog.”
Bopoto was warned against verbally abusing her brother and interfering with his tenants or the rental collections.
In her ruling, Ms Mukwesha stated that the sangoma, should vacate the house for the sake of peace and should stop harassing or threatening the homeowner.
She also advised Bopoto that if she believed she had a rightful claim to the house, she must pursue it legally, not through threats or spiritual intimidation.
