Mutare – A tale of infidelity, greed, and vengeful spirits unfolded before Chief Saurombe’s community court last Sunday, as a son accused his mother of betraying his late father, leading to a mysterious illness that plagues him.
Matthew Chinawa (36) dragged his mother, Jane Muterandova, to the community court, seeking recourse for what he believes is a curse brought upon him by his father’s restless spirit. Chinawa alleges that for the past four years, he has been suffering from unexplained seizures resembling epilepsy. Multiple consultations with traditional healers have revealed that his late father is behind his suffering, seeking retribution for his mother’s alleged infidelity with his uncle.
Chinawa claims that the healers revealed his mother was redirecting his father’s avenging spirit towards him, even though it should be seeking retribution from her. “My father, who passed away 14 years ago, is turning in his grave because of my mother’s infidelity with his own brother. Traditional healers told me that it is my late father causing all my suffering,” Chinawa stated, his voice filled with emotion.
“It has been four years since my sickness started, and every traditional healer I visit confirms that my father is bitter in his grave. He is seeking vengeance because my mother betrayed him with my uncle,” he continued. “My mother is redirecting my father’s vengeful spirit to me instead of taking responsibility for her actions.”
Chinawa further claimed that after his father’s death, Muterandova and his uncle continued their relationship, further enraging his father’s spirit from beyond the grave.
Muterandova, however, vehemently denied her son’s accusations. While acknowledging that his illness might be linked to his late father’s vengeance, she argued that it was a consequence of Chinawa’s own actions.
She told the court that Chinawa had selfishly taken his late sister’s bride price and sold his late father’s cattle, actions that had angered his father before his passing. “His older sister died, but her husband had not paid any bride price before her demise. He gave us a car as compensation during her funeral. My son took the car, sold it, and squandered the money. He did not share it with his father’s brothers or me. His late father remains bitter in his grave because his brothers and myself never enjoyed our daughter’s bride price,” Muterandova explained.
She also accused her son of squandering his late father’s wealth by selling off his cattle. “After taking the bride price, Chinawa also disposed of his father’s cattle. I believe this is what is causing his mysteriously illness. I have told him on countless occasions, and advised him to put his house in order, but he insists that I am the one causing his father to punish him,” she added.
Muterandova further argued that she had not refused to seek traditional cleansing for her son but simply lacked the funds for the process. “I told him that I had no money, and we needed to raise funds first. We even set dates to visit a healer together, but before we could go, I was shocked to hear that he had brought the matter before this court,” she said, shaking her head in disbelief.
Chinawa remained unmoved by his mother’s explanations, insisting that his actions regarding his sister’s bride price were justified and that his mother had no claim over the car or its proceeds. “I shared the money from the car sale with my uncle and brother. I do not understand why my mother insists that she was also entitled to the money from the car,” he retorted.
“The real issue here is that my father’s spirit is restless because she was in love with my uncle even before his death. Their relationship blossomed after my father’s death, and I know that is why my father remains bitter,” Chinawa claimed.
He then made an explosive accusation, claiming that traditional healers had revealed that his mother and uncle were responsible for his father’s death. “The healers told me that my mother and uncle killed my father, and now she is pushing his avenging spirit to me. That is why I am suffering,” he alleged, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Muterandova vehemently denied the allegations, admitting that she had a relationship with her brother-in-law, but only after her husband’s death. “When my husband was still alive, I was never in a relationship with my brother-in-law. I later had a relationship with him after my husband’s death, and yes, he was married at the time. I am in pain because my son is labelling me a prostitute and witch,” she lamented.
She maintained that before his death, her husband was equally troubled by Chinawa’s reckless behaviour. “Before his father’s death, he was bitter because this boy had squandered his wealth by selling all his cattle. Now he claims that I am the one who is responsible for his suffering,” she said angrily.
After hearing both sides of the story, Chief Saurombe ordered Muterandova to gather her relatives to consult healers together. He stressed the importance of resolving the matter through ancestral appeasement to prevent further misfortunes in the family.
“This is a delicate matter and should be handled properly. The Chinawa family must sit down with Muterandova’s relatives and consult traditional healers together. If the spirit of the deceased is indeed unsettled, it must be appeased so that peace can return to this family,” Chief Saurombe ruled.
The matter was adjourned to March 2, leaving the family to grapple with the complex web of accusations, suspicions, and ancestral beliefs that have torn them apart.
