Tsikamutandas on the run

Siphilisiwe Mloyi
TWO men from Dewe village in Matopo were hospitalised after being forced to drink a concoction given by witch-hunters.

The villagers drankA� the concoction at a ritual ceremony meant to help them get rid of evil spirits reportedly tormenting them.

The two tsikamutandas who allegedly administered the toxic potion to Ben Ndlovu and John Ncube were identified as Brian Nyika and his associate Lazarus Siziba (ABOVE).

It is believed that the witch-hunters gave the villagers the muthi which turned a�?poisonousa�? in a spirited effort to make them hallucinate so that they would divulge information which was supposed to help them in their exorcism exercise.

Kenneth Sibanda said the witch-hunters accused his uncle, Ndlovu of owning goblins and forced him to drink a concoction.

a�?The tsikamutandas came home uninvited and claimed to exorcise goblins. There was no agreement between them and my uncle soA� they claimed it was a directive from the local leadership. They forced him to drink a concoction as a way of detoxing him so as toA� remove the goblins.

a�?After drinking the muthi he became sick and later he collapsed.A� We had to ferry him to Maphisa hospital. After the diagnosis, the doctor said thatA� he had ingested poison. We were given a medical report that we submitted to the police,a�? Sibanda said.

The second victim Ncube reportedly met a similar fate at his homestead.

Chief Masuku confirmed the incident.

a�?I received a report that two people were hospitalised after drinking muthi given to them by witch-hunters,a�? Masuku said.

The chief added that he barred the two witch-hunters from his community long back but they did not take serious his ruling .

Some villagers said the concoction consisted of . ingcotho/munzepete (boophane toxicaria) a poisonous traditional herb.

Efforts to get a comment from the witch-hunters were fruitless as they reportedly fled the village after committing the offence and their mobile phones were unreachable.

Matabeleland South Acting Police spokesperson Sergeant Thabani Mkhwananzi said he was yet to get the report.

a�?I havena��t received the report. I will liaise with my colleagues from Matopo,a�? he said.