A TSHOLOTSHO man, accused of witchcraft, was kidnapped by
local community members and half buried in a shallow pit before he was
sprinkled with ashes and urinated upon during a purported witch-hunt by members
of a Zion Church.
The witch-hunting ceremony, which lasted for four hours,
was witnessed by more than 100 villagers.
This emerged when Mr Mpopo Roy Ncube of Nemane village
under Chief Gampu area approached the High Court suing his alleged tormentors
for more than $900 000 in damages for defamation of character, unlawful
detention and humiliation.
Mr Ncube, through his lawyers Ncube Attorneys, filed
summons at the Bulawayo High Court citing Makheyi Ncube, Cosmas Ncube, Bhati
Ncube, Dumisani Ncube, Jeffrey Ncube, Ali Ncube, Tshiva Sibanda, Jemina Ncube,
Chandapiwa Dube and Zodwa Ndlovu, as defendants.
He is accusing the defendants of ganging up last year on
New Year’s Eve and organising witch hunting ceremony at Makheyi’s homestead.
“On December 31 last year, all the defendants, together
with their fellow members of the Wafawafa Zion Church and the witnessing crowd
trooped from the first defendant (Makheyi)’s home to my homestead where they
forcibly took me, accusing me of witchcraft,” said Mr Ncube.
He said upon arrival at his home, the defendants ransacked
his homestead and took him to Makheyi’s home where they dug a shallow pit. They allegedly ordered him to get into the
pit and buried him up to waist level.
“They assaulted me and went on to sprinkle ashes on me and
spit saliva at me as they insulted me and accused me of practising witchcraft.
They forcibly shaved my hair and took it away,” said the plaintiff.
Mr Ncube said defendants falsely accused him of bewitching
Makheyi’s daughter resulting in her death.
“The defendants defamed me and seriously tainted my
reputation in my community. They are liable to pay damages for defamation of character,”
he said.
The plaintiff said the defendants took a video during the
ritual and circulated it on social media.
“They intruded on my privacy and while searching my home,
they took two traditional spears and a clay pot and these items are of
religious value to me,” he said.
Mr Ncube wants an order directing the defendants to pay
$905 000 being damages for defamation of character, unlawful detention,
humiliation and lost value of his traditional clay pot and two spears.
He said in the event that one of the defendants pays the
money, the others are automatically absolved.
The defendants are yet to respond to the summons. Chronicle
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