Witchraft row spills into court

Belindah Chikandiwa

A FAMILY dispute over witchcraft accusations has spilled into the Harare Civil Court, after a Harare man accused his brother and sister-in-law of harassment and defamation.

Tayengwa Dongorere dragged his brother James Dongorere and his wife Serena Dzimunda to the Harare Civil Court on Wednesday on allegations that they accused him of being a wizard.

Tayengwa said his brother and his son, Innocent Dongorere, were always harassing him while his wife would be hurling insults at him, accusing him of being a wizard and being responsible for her son’s illness.

“They came to my house at midnight, forced me to go with them to an apostolic sect,” he said.

“I do not want them at my house because every time they come, my brother and his son become violent.”

In her defence, Serena said that she only wanted Tayengwa to accompany them to an apostolic sect so that her son, who is mentally ill, could get help.

“We went to the hospital and the doctor told us that Innocent’s sickness is a spiritual thing and that they could not see anything wrong with him,” she said.

“There are things that need to be fixed in the family and we only want him because he is a father figure to my son and we want him there,” she said.

The presiding Magistrate, Meenal Narotham ruled that there should be peace between the brothers and for Serena to seek medical advice for her son.