A bitter dispute rooted in deep-seated beliefs about sorcery and superstition has ripped through the Mutumba family, leaving them fractured and seeking solace in the wisdom of traditional healers. The matter, which recently played out in the community court of Chief Mutasa, pits Zachariah Mutumba against his uncle, Samuel, with accusations of witchcraft and malevolent spirits casting a dark shadow over their familial bond.
Zachariah, visibly distraught, claims that his uncle, Samuel, has been using “wealth-enhancing charms” to sabotage the family’s success. He alleges that these charms, acquired by Samuel during his time working in Harare in the 1980s, have transformed into “evil goblins” that are draining the family’s resources and hindering their progress.
“None of us is employed, and my sisters are struggling to get married,” Zachariah lamented, adding that the family has consulted traditional healers who confirmed their suspicions. “We were told that we are being impoverished by his evil goblins. We have tried to engage him over this issue, but our pleas fell on deaf ears as he refused to grant us audience.”
Zachariah believes that his uncle, through these malevolent charms, has sacrificed the family’s prosperity and happiness to “the voodoo lords of the dark” for his own gain.
“We are not accusing him of wizardry because we were told that he does not know that acquired goblins disguised as some wealth-enhancing charms from a certain traditional healer. These things are now wreaking havoc in the family. He did not know that the charms would turn into goblins, and we all understand that his intention was to get wealth-enhancing charms, not goblins. However, what is even more frustrating is that he is refusing to own up to his sins,” Zachariah said, his voice laced with bitterness.
Zachariah pleaded with the court to intervene, urging Chief Mutasa to compel Samuel to join a family delegation to consult traditional healers and find a lasting solution to the alleged curse.
Samuel, however, vehemently denied the accusations, dismissing them as a product of psychological factors, misunderstandings, and real-world issues being misinterpreted through a cultural or supernatural lens.
“I am shocked and hurt by these false accusations from my own family members. I have always supported my family and would never resort to such evil practices,” Samuel said, his voice trembling with indignation. “Of course, I worked in Harare during my youthful days, but I never acquired any wealth-enhancing charms. I struggle just like everyone who is trying to make ends meet. I was never rich like most people who are accused of acquiring wealth-enhancing charms. This comes as a shock to me.”
He challenged Zachariah to address the root causes of his poverty through hard work and a critical perspective, instead of attributing his misfortunes to supernatural forces.
Samuel, while vehemently denying the accusations, expressed his willingness to seek spiritual counsel to clear his name. He requested the court’s permission to consult three traditional healers in the presence of Chief Mutasa’s aides, a request that was ultimately granted.
“I am only against them using violence to coerce me into admitting that I am a sorcerer and that I possess goblins. I will not do that. I am not a wizard, and I do not possess the said goblins. As the family father figure, I also want this problem solved once and for all. I request for your permission for us to consult three traditional healers in the presence of your aides,” Samuel asserted.
Chief Mutasa, after hearing both sides, acknowledged the need for spiritual intervention and granted the family permission to seek counsel from three traditional healers. He urged them to work together and rebuild their fractured relationship.
“This issue requires spiritual intervention, and since both of you requested for permission to consult traditional healers, I therefore grant you permission to seek counsel from three traditional healers and return here with the findings so that we get to the bottom of these problems,” Chief Mutasa ruled.
Despite the court’s decision, Zachariah remained unconvinced, accusing his uncle of being the architect of his misfortunes.
The case was adjourned to a later date, leaving the Mutumba family in a state of limbo, their future uncertain, and their familial bonds hanging by a thread. The outcome of the consultations with the traditional healers remains to be seen.
