adminMichael Magoronga, Sunday News Correspondent
TALK of being caught in one’s own petard!
A Zhombe villager will attest to this after he summoned witch-hunters commonly known as tsikamutandas to cleanse his area only for them to allegedly discover and expose a large snake in his home.
Douglas Mbule, a village head in Gwenzi area under Chief Gwesela, will rue the day he succumbed to pressure from his subjects to call tsikamutandas (witch-hunters) to cleanse the area following a spate of alleged strange things happening in the area.
Chief Weight Gwesela said he had received reports on the incident and had since summoned Mbule to appear before his court for hearing on the matter.
“I can confirm receiving such a report. Mbule was found with a large snake in his house and I want to hear his side of the story when he appears before my court,” Chief Gwesela said.
“The village head was pressurised by villagers to summon the tsikamutandas after a series of strange things were taking place in his area, he had no option but to summon them,” revealed one source on condition of anonymity.
According to the source, a week before the occasion, a baby’s body disappeared from its grave 24 hours after its burial.
“The grave was dug and the body was nowhere to be found, and it left the whole community with a lot of questions as to where the body had gone,” revealed the source.
The issue got complicated when an elderly woman was seen coming from the direction of the grave during the wee hours of the morning, upon being quizzed she said she was coming from relieving herself.
This, the source said, prompted the villagers to flock Mbule’s homestead and ordered him to immediately call tsikamutandas to cleanse the area.
The traditional healers reported for duty and chose to start by conducting their business on the village head’s homestead.
“Everyone was shocked when a large python was found in his house and they (tsikamutandas) said it is the one that was causing all the bad omen and misfortune, not only within his family but the community at large,” further revealed the source.
The serpent was reportedly found in a suitcase that was neatly tucked in the village head’s wardrobe.
Mbule confirmed the happening but blamed his enemies for setting him up.
“Who told you that, do you think I can do such a thing? It’s my enemies who are plotting my downfall,” said the distraught Mbule.
Online Reporter