Chronicle Editor
Nomvelo Siziba, Chronicle Reporter
A Victoria Falls couple has been caught up in a witchcraft storm after a self-proclaimed prophet they consulted over their sick son told them that they were responsible for his ailment.
Kasanga Khumalo (42) and his wife Ms Vimbai Zimanyi (36) of 6418 Chinotimba suburb had consulted a self-proclaimed prophet in the same suburb seeking to know the cause for their nine-year old son’s illness.
The couple had a misunderstanding on Sunday after consulting an unnamed prophet resulting in Khumalo assaulting his wife. He pleaded guilty to physical abuse when he appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Ms Rangarirai Gakanje yesterday.
Khumalo told the court that he beat up his wife after she accused him of being responsible for their son’s illness.
He said earlier on the day, the same prophet had told him that his wife was responsible for their son’s condition.
“We consulted a prophet from my wife’s church and we were told that our son was sick because my wife couldn’t keep family secrets which she would spread to our enemies. The prophet told us that we were supposed to perform a ritual to cleanse our son. “I left my wife as I went to Zambia to see my father who was admitted in hospital and when I came back, she started accusing me of being responsible for our son’s illness. I got angry and beat her up,” said Khumalo.
The magistrate sentenced Khumalo to a wholly suspended four months in prison.
The court was told that Khumalo used a cell phone handset to assault his wife on the shoulder.
“On 22 November 2019 around 6PM Khumalo and his wife had a misunderstanding about their sick child. Khumalo used a Nokia cellphone to hit his wife once on the left shoulder. The complainant fled from the house and the accused threatened to assault her again if she returned home,” said the prosecutor Mr Onias Nyathi.
Ms Zimanyi reported the matter to the police leading to her husband’s arrest. — @nomvelosiziba
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