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The Herald, October 16, 1992
A MUREWA woman shocked a gathering in Munyuki village when she claimed that she and five others had “bewitched” her two late daughters and then produced a piece of meat she falsely claimed was human flesh, a Murewa magistrate was told.
The piece of meat was taken for forensic tests and it was established that it was not from a human being or any domestic animal.
Grace Kasambarare (23) who said she had tried to practice witchcraft, was given a 10-month jail term on Thursday last week by magistrate Mr S. Kudya after being convicted on five counts of contravening the Witchcraft Suppression Act by labelling the other five witches and wizards.
Presenting the agreed facts, Mr Titus Taruvinga, for the State, told the court that Kasambarare had three children and two died on successive dates in December last year.
On May 15 this year, Kasambarare claimed before a gathering and her husband that she and five others, who were colleagues of hers in witchcraft, had caused the deaths of her seven-year-old and five-year-old children by “non-natural” causes.
She further produced a piece of meat she alleged the six of them had obtained from an unknown deceased person.
Soon after the claim, Kasambarare’s husband reported the matter to the police. The other five denied being witches and wizards as alleged by Kasambarare.
Passing sentence, the magistrate found it mitigatory that Kasambarare pleaded guilty, showing contrition.
She told the court in mitigation that she had been “possessed by a demon” which made her perform her witchcraft acts.
The “demon”, however, had now been removed. The claim of witchcraft caused Kasambarare shame in her own society but also landed her in trouble as the law did not allow her to accuse other people, the magistrate, said.
Meanwhile, police in Harare yesterday said it was untrue that three people were caught eating human flesh at Highfield Cemetery and that a drunken man had spread the false rumour, causing scores of angry residents to try and storm the cemetery to get at the culprits. – Herald Reporter-Ziana.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
- Witchcraft is the use of supernatural powers of magic to perform evil deeds.
- In Zimbabwe, witchcraft is dealt with under the Witchcraft Suppression Act, which makes it an offense for any person to name or indicate any other person as being a wizard or witch.
- In most cases witchcraft related beliefs and practices have resulted in some people effecting serious human rights violations on people accused of witchcraft including beatings, banishment, cutting of body parts, and amputation of limbs, torture and murder.
- Women, the elderly, and persons with disabilities particularly persons with albinism, are particularly vulnerable for being labelled witches and wizards.
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