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A ZIMUNYA woman has been fined seven beasts after she was found guilty of bewitching a fellow villager who died after consuming food laced with poison. The chilling crime, which had been swept under the carpet for some time, was exposed after the avenging spirit of the deceased began to torment her daughter seeking appeasement.
Juliet Kondai-Bepete’s spirit had been seeking appeasement for over a year claiming she was murdered by her husband’s brother’s wife, Dorcas Bepete.
On Sunday, acting Chief Zimunya found Dorcas guilty of witchcraft and instructed her to appease the avenging spirit with seven beasts (cattle), which will be given to the family of the deceased.
She was also fined a beast and a lamb that will be handed over to the Chief’s court as well as reimburse $360 used by the other two alleged accomplices, Mai Nyama and Mai Chiripanhura, who were found not guilty.
Although Dorcas denied the allegations, Chief Zimunya said this was not a new phenomenon at the traditional court.
“We will not waste time with your case anymore as it has been cast on stone at five different places that you are a witch. You poisoned Juliet. Even if you challenge my verdict I have ways to see that justice prevails in this traditional court and you will see that,” cautioned Chief Zimunya as Dorcas uttered in court that she would not pay the beasts.
Earlier before the verdict was passed, one of Chief Zimunya’s aides who escorted the concerned parties for consultations stunned the court when she revealed that Dorcas had been found in possession of charms (mugara n’anga).
The aide known as Mai Solo said a traditional healer informed them that the charms were meant to cloud the findings.
“Along the way two of us saw her with small pieces of paper that seemed to have contents in them, but she discarded the contents immediately after we confronted her.
“However, when we arrived at the first traditional healer she was immediately fingered to have been in possession of charms (mugara n’anga), but was told that the charms would not work on powerful healers.
“She was the only one fingered to be a witch at the two places we consulted last week. The first traditional healer told her that she had a small hyena, but her other two alleged accomplices were found clean,” said Mai Solo.
In her defence Dorcas denied the allegations of charms and said she wanted to use the papers in the event that she wanted to relieve herself.
“I am not a witch Chief and you are forcing those allegations on me. Do as you wish,” refuted Dorcas.
The other fingered accomplices said they wanted their names to be cleared in their respective villages.
Chief Zimunya said he had a hectic schedule and could only come early June to their respective villages to vindicate them (kuvachenura).
As for the tormented lecturer, Chief Zimunya ordered that she be brought to court and taken to a traditional healer who would heal her.
Online Reporter