The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
THERE was drama at an octogenarian’s homestead in Marange recently following the retrieval of two suspected creatures, largely believed to be goblins, from a pillow that was in his bedroom.
The creatures, which included a horn and dried squirrel, were described by a spiritual healer as goblins responsible of afflicting and torturing the alleged owner, Christopher Mudhara’s grandson, Victor Mudhara’s children with various ailments.
Chief Marange tasked an unidentified spiritual healer to assist the family after Victor dragged his grandfather, Christopher Mudhara to the community court, claiming that his goblins were causing a lot of misfortunes in his family.
Victor is the son of the octogenarian’s daughter.
Christopher does not remember his actual age, although it was said to be above 80.
However, Christopher’s sons — Gilbert and Norah— challenged the allegations, and reluctantly agreed to abide by Chief Marange’s order to consult spiritual healers.
Giving his feedback to the court following the retrieval of the goblins, Chief Marange’s aide, Risai Marange said the strange creatures include a horn and dried squirrel.
“There was a pillow in his bedroom that had a small horn wrapped in black leather, and a dried squirrel, which both appeared to be breathing. When the prophet was handed the pillow, and extracted the strange creatures (goblins), and they started bleeding smelly rotten blood.
“Christopher and his children claimed that the strange creatures were planted in his home by the spiritual healer. However, the spiritual healer never set foot in Christopher’s bedroom. Instead, he directed Christopher’s relatives to go inside and collect the pillow,” he said.
Marange said at Victor’s home, the spiritual healer retrieved a bottle that was wrapped in a snake skin, which had allegedly been planted by the octogenarian.
“It was buried at the entrance of the homestead, and when the spiritual healer dug and touched it, it broke instantly, spilling smelly blood,” he said.
However, Gilbert claimed that as a family they did not believe that the retrieved paraphernalia was in their father’s bedroom.
Instead, he accused the unidentified spiritual healer of planting it and stage-managing the whole recovery process.
“As a family, we do not believe that those creatures belonged to our father. It is a lie, the spiritual healer planted all those strange things. If not, why did they not allow me to get into the bedroom to see the nature of the pillow they were getting. It was a hoax. It all looked well stage-managed to scandalise our aged father.
“They can do or claim what they want, but that is our position as a family. We will not let our nephew embarrass our father through baseless wizardry allegations. He will not get away with it. We will not allow him to destroy the family,” he said.
Christopher also vehemently disputed the wizardry allegations against him, insisting that the said paraphernalia did not belong to him.
He insisted that they were foreign objects planted by an outsider with a mission to discredit and authenticate the allegations against him by his grandson.
“If I am to die, so be it. Let them kill me over the matter. My hands are clean. Honestly, why would I bewitch my daughter’s family? Why would I target her son’s family while leaving my own sons and their families since they are my blood? The truth is that those things do not belong to me, and I was also shocked when that pillow was brought outside on that day. The spiritual healers are scammers who go about planting evidence and tricking people that they have supernatural powers. They are fraudster and must be arrested,” he said.
He further said he would take legal action against his grandson, Victor for disrespecting and accusing him of wizardry.
“It is unheard for a man to accuse a senior citizen like me of sorcery. We will abide by the chief’s directives, but my grandson should be ready for more bruising court battles,” he said.
Victor was fuming and frothing throughout the court session, accusing his maternal grandfather of causing his children’s illnesses.
“The spiritual healers retrieved the goblins and everyone saw them. The whole community now know the truth — that my grandfather is a wizard – but his children, including my mother, are siding with him. They are refusing us access to him when they know that he is the one afflicting my children with illnesses. My children are jobless because of him, and as a result we are nobodies in the community because of this man,” he said.
The said paraphernalia was burnt, with Victor claiming that his child’s health was restored afterward.
Chief Marange ordered the octogenarian to pay three beasts to his court for wizardry, and also ordered the warring families to maintain peace towards each other.
