Sundaymail Editor
Veronica Gwaze
BARELY three years after escaping a life sentence through a Presidential pardon, Joram Siwela once again finds himself in trouble with the law.
The former Chaplin High School student and Chapungu Football Club player was jailed for murder in the late 90s at the age of 19.
He apparently killed his schoolmate after a scuffle over a girl in a nightclub in Mkoba, Gweru.
However, in 2019, after serving 23 years, Lady Luck smiled at him and he was released alongside 2 527 other inmates through the Presidential amnesty programme.
But it was not long before he found himself in trouble again — and over a woman.
He has since been hauled before the court for rape.
This is just one of the litany of problems and misfortunes stalking the Siwela family.
Joram’s younger brother, Bruce, last year was slapped with a 13-year jail term for attempted murder and is presently doing time at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison.
The same correctional facility was ‘home’ to his brother for decades.
As if that is not enough, the duo’s father is battling a heart ailment that was diagnosed last year.
In fact, he spent the greater part of 2021 on life-support at Gweru Provincial Hospital.
He was discharged early this year, but he is not out of the woods yet.
The mother, Nyengeterai Siwela, is slowly buckling under pressure and is fighting depression.
She is a tormented soul who spends much of her time behind closed doors.
Joram now suspects the family is being haunted by evil spirits.
“A lot of questions keep exercising my mind. I have been asking myself what is causing this misfortune in our family. I believe we are under a curse,” said a tearful Joram in an interview with The Sunday Mail Society at his home in Gweru.
His equally troubled mother sat by his side.
“I have never known peace. The joy of seeing my eldest son back home after the amnesty was short-lived as his younger brother was slapped with a heavy sentence for a serious crime.
“Daily, I question if I wronged God in any way. What did I do to deserve this torture? Was it His (God’s) plan for me to give birth to jailbirds? I wish my prayers could be answered. I have suffered enough,” said the dejected Nyengeterai as she stared into space.
“When I visited Bruce, around Christmas time, he could not talk to me during the hour-long visiting time as he was crying throughout. No mother can ever wish to see their child in that state. I might never see my son free again in this lifetime. It is killing me.”
Having spent at least two decades behind bars, Joram feels sorry for his younger brother.
“Bruce is soft. It is tough to survive in prison. I long to see and assist him with some ideas on how to cope, mentally,” added Siwela.
Haunted
Traditionalists believe the restless spirit of Joram’s victim is tormenting the family.
They also argue the family might not know peace until they compensate his family (kuripa ngozi) to appease the avenging spirit.
Joram claims this could be the case, as he had many sleepless nights during his incarceration.
He constantly had nightmares.
In some instances, he said, he would feel like he was physically fighting with the deceased.
It only became better when he sought assistance from faith healers upon his release from prison.
“We consulted various prophets until we got answers. Finally, I can now sleep peacefully. I am now a devoted member of a local Pentecostal church,” he said.
Attempts to reach out to the family of the deceased to set things right have not been successful, as they seem to have vanished from the face of the earth without trace.
“It was a mistake and I was punished for it. However, the memories are still vivid and not fading away. I wanted to meet the victim’s family so that we can make compensatory payment arrangements, but they have all disappeared,” he said.
“From the time I was released, I have never visited the place where the incident that put me in jail took place. I fear triggering the unknown. “Besides, my fear is I might go to the place and someone identifies me, which will create a nasty situation.
“The only person I have talked to about the incident is my friend Moses. He was present during the fateful day. ‘Joram, what happened is now in the past, focus on the future and how best to use the lessons you learned from that mistake’ were his words to me.”
The Siwela family is currently surviving from hand to mouth as they are struggling to settle ballooning medical bills and other expenses.
Their sick father used to provide for the family.
Joram has tried to assist by venturing into poultry farming, but all the chickens (broilers and layers) succumbed to a mysterious disease.
Unexpected return
Not many people thought they would see Joram walking the streets again after being found guilty of murder in 1998.
His parents only waited for a casket from prison.
However, as fate would have it, the former jailbird benefited from the new law that makes it possible for prisoners on life sentence to qualify for Presidential amnesty after serving at least 20 years.
Joram, Mncedisi Ncube, Maxwell Sibanda, James Dube and two others were the first group of life-in-prison inmates to benefit.While he celebrated tasting freedom after a long time, a part of him was unsettled.
Who can blame him?
Confronting the same community after such a heinous crime is never easy.
“The day I left Gweru, the situation was tense and many had labelled me a murderer, so I did not know what to expect upon return. However, I longed to see my parents,” he recalls.
“It was an emotional moment just seeing them. I was happy and grateful for the chance to be with them again.”
The news of his return travelled fast and in no time, scores thronged his home to see him.
“My classmates were happy to see me but my heart was not at ease, so I quickly excused myself under the pretext that I needed to rest. A lot had changed so I needed to process it,” he said.
Eventually, he started to blend well in the community after undertaking some virtual counselling sessions focusing on reintegration.
Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) had also played its part.
“I had realised that some did not want to associate with me. Over the years, my parents had become pariahs in the neighbourhood; the classes helped me a lot.
“With time, people realised that I was not the monster they assumed me to be. I regret the crime I committed back then. It was a mistake.”
Online Reporter