Harare – A Harare woman, Maonei Magaso, has sought legal protection from her husband, Crispen Musavengana, alleging a disturbing pattern of abuse and accusations of witchcraft that have driven a wedge between them. Magaso claims her husband’s behaviour has become increasingly erratic, culminating in a complete cessation of intimacy and the alleged disposal of family assets.
Magaso told the Harare Civil Court that Musavengana has been subjecting her to verbal abuse, accusing her of being a witch. She further claimed that he refuses to touch her in bed, citing vivid dreams of “goblins” warning him against physical contact with her.
“He does not touch me in bed because he says he dreams of my ‘goblins’ telling him not to touch me and he wakes up with his ears blocked,” Magaso testified.
Beyond the accusations of witchcraft and the breakdown of their physical relationship, Magaso also accused her husband of unilaterally selling off their shared property, including three cars, and spending the proceeds on an extramarital affair.
“He has sold our three cars and spent the money on his girlfriend but the agreement was that we were going to sell the cars and renovate our home,” she stated.
Magaso further alleged that Musavengana’s girlfriend has influenced him to sell their house, and that he has been pressuring her to relocate to their rural home. “His girlfriend talked him into selling our house and now he constantly tells me to go stay in the rural areas,” she told the court.
Faced with what she described as an unbearable situation, Magaso pleaded with the court to grant her a protection order against her husband.
In his defence, Musavengana vehemently denied the allegations of abuse and witchcraft accusations. “I have asked her to go with me to my prophet so that we inquire as to why I have such dreams but she refused so at the end I just blame her for those dreams but l never called her a witch,” he countered.
Musavengana presented a different perspective on the marital discord, claiming that Magaso had made unilateral decisions that had strained their relationship. He cited her decision to bring her sister’s children from South Africa to live with them without his consent.
“She went to South Africa, returned with her sister’s children and now they are under our care and she made this decision without my knowledge,” he explained. “Every time I inquire about how long they are going to stay with us, she responds by saying I am troubling her.”
Musavengana also accused Magaso of belittling him in front of her friends. “She is in the habit of mocking me with her friends saying that I do not deserve her and I am worthless,” he claimed.
Despite the accusations and counter-accusations, Musavengana maintained that he wished to preserve peace in their marriage and denied any intention of selling their house. “I do not wish for us to fight hence I intend to maintain peace and I will not sell our house because I am not cruel,” he stated.
Ultimately, the magistrate sided with Magaso and granted her a protection order against Musavengana. The order aims to provide Magaso with legal recourse should Musavengana continue to engage in the behaviour she described in court.
