The ManicaPost
Tanyaradzwa Mujati
Weekender Reporter
A MUTARE woman is at loggerheads with her in-laws who are accusing her of killing a child whose avenging spirit is now allegedly tormenting the family.
Letty Chipatise’s in-laws are also accusing her of practicing witchcraft.
Chipatise has resorted to applying for a protection against her in-laws.
She recently appeared before Mutare magistrate, Ms Ivy Musavengana, as she was seeking a protection order against Tonderai, Steven, Simon, Amos, Wadzanai, Trust and Gogo Rumbidzai Simango.
Ms Musavengana granted the protection order in Chipatise’s favour after hearing both parties’ arguments.
Chipatise said her in-laws accuse her of practicing witchcraft and have destroyed her property.
She said the Simangos believe that she murdered a child by drowning her in a river.
The family has allegedly dragged Chipatise to prophets and spiritual healers to force her to confess.
She further claimed that the Simangos also dumped a bed-ridden 17-year-old girl at her house as they claimed that she was causing the illness.
“My in-laws are destroying my property. They are also threatening to stone me to death. They say I killed a child by drowning her. They have been forcing me to consult spiritual healers,” she said.
“I was surprised when they brought their ill child to my house and dumped her. However, the minor confided in me that she was three months pregnant. I took her to the hospital and they said she had anaemia and she was treated. She has since recovered. However, they are still coming to my house to insult and threaten me,” said Chipatise.
In response, Charles said Chipatise drowned a villager’s child in 1998.
Silas Chinyama
The child’s body was allegedly discovered three days later.
“She caused the death of the child and the spirit is now haunting our children. They fall sick one after the other,” he said.
Simon chipped in: “We have consulted spiritual healers on the strange illnesses inflicting our children. The teenager she mentioned was about to die when we dumped her at Chipatise’s house. She did not have any blood in her system, a sign that the avenging spirit was sucking her blood. A spiritual healer instructed us to dump her at Chipatise’s house.”
“The girl later told us that Chipatise fed her some porridge, thereby leading to her recovery. As a family we cannot allow an outcast to destroy us. She should use her own children to appease the avenging spirit of the child she killed,” he said.
Amos said the problem started when family members woke up with shaved heads.
Trust said they have been trying in vain to solve the family’s problems.
He, however, said Chipatise has not been cooperating.
Gogo Simango pleaded with the court not to grant Chipatise the protection order saying it would foster disunity in the family.
