Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A WOMAN from Mutasa has accused her mother-in-law of bewitching her, claiming the alleged sorcery caused three miscarriages and frequent bouts of vomiting blood.
The explosive allegations have ignited a bitter family feud, intertwining accusations of witchcraft with disputes over property.
The conflict came to a head last Saturday before Chief Mutasa’s community court, where Annatoria Mutuza, the elderly custodian of the family farm, defended herself against accusations made by her nephew’s wife, Sarudzai Chitsviki.
Mutuza told the court that Chitsviki had accused her of “eating her unborn children” and spreading rumours that she bewitched her own mother.
“My nephew’s wife claims that I am a witch who eats her unborn children. She also vomits blood, and now they accuse me of being behind it all,” said Mutuza.
According to Mutuza, Chitsviki and her family consulted a Harare-based traditional healer, Gogo Chihoro, who allegedly confirmed that she was responsible for the mysterious illnesses.
“She told me that I bewitched and killed many people in the family,” Mutuza added.
Chitsviki, however, stood by her accusations, saying she only repeated what the healer had revealed.
She also pointed to longstanding tensions with Mutuza, claiming the hostility began soon after her marriage.
“When I first got married, Mutuza was abusive towards me. She told me that no two women can stay at one homestead and that she herself had suffered under her mother-in-law. She implied I should endure the same,” said Chitsviki.
Chitsviki added that each time Mutuza confronted her, she would accuse Chitsviki of being behind the household’s misfortunes, leading her to seek the guidance from Chihoro.
“Each time she abuses me, and I try to report her to my husband, she lies that I would have called her a witch. I ended up calling her a witch after she told me that she had incisions on her body that were stopping her female children from getting married. She said she wanted them removed, but was having trouble doing so. I would vomit blood since 2020, and I believe she was causing it,” charged Chitsviki.
She confirmed that she had consulted the traditional healer, who told her that her mother-in-law’s influence was behind the mysterious health issues.
“I indeed went to Gogo Chihoro’s shrine with my husband and brother, and she told us that it was being caused by my mother-in-law, whom I am in bad blood with,” she said.
Chief Mutasa asked whether Chitsviki had sought medical advice for her recurrent miscarriages and vomiting blood.
She confirmed she had consulted doctors, but in vain.
“Yes, I did. I consulted my doctor who failed to diagnose any condition. That is why I agreed with what the traditional healer had told me,” she explained.
In his ruling, Chief Mutasa advised Chitsviki and her husband to exhaust all medical avenues before relying solely on traditional consultations.
“You must seek specialist doctors and get proper help. Only after ruling out medical causes should you involve traditional healers,” he said.
The court also unearthed that the dispute over witchcraft is intertwined with property issues.
Mutuza was entrusted to safeguard a family farm belonging to Chitsviki’s husband and his siblings after the death of their parents.
She was expected to hand over the farm when the children came of age, but reportedly refused to leave.
“This issue is not just about witchcraft; it is also about land and property that was left in Mutuza’s custody for years. You must move from the homestead and allow the nephews to manage the farm themselves,” noted Chief Mutasa.
He also encouraged the family to also seek spiritual consultation to cleanse Mutuza’s name as she insisted that she was not behind the miscarriages and vomiting of blood.
“Spiritual guidance is necessary in this matter, but it must be combined with practical solutions. You should vacate the property. The children that you were tasked to look after are now of age and can take care of themselves,” he said.
