Lupane Traditional Healer Refuses To Swear By The Christian Bible In Court Appearance

A LUPANE traditional healer has been jailed to an effective 15 years in jail after he raped his juvenile niece during the night after being invited to exorcize evil spirits by the family.

Melusi Sibanda, 23, a self-proclaimed traditional healer who resides Lunka Village was found guilty of raping his 11 year old niece, who cannot be named to protect her identity.

Sibanda was convicted by Hwange Magistrate Dambudzo Malunga last week. Three years of the sentence were suspended meaning Sibanda will serve an effective 12 year behind bars.

Prosecutors told the court that on a date unknown but in January 2014, Sibanda was invited by relatives who reside in Tshebetsebe village in Lupane, to exorcize evil spirits that were said to be terrorising the family.

Later that night, the victim retired to bed leaving her grandparents and Sibanda in the kitchen.

Sibanda would later retire to bed but instead of proceeding to the visitors’ hut where he was to put up for the night, he went straight to the bedroom where the victim was sleeping.

He joined teenager in her blankets and after a few minutes the juvenile woke up and noticing that there was a stranger in her blankets.

She screamed for help but Sibanda allegedly threatened to harm her if she alerted anyone.

He proceeded to rape her and in the morning the victim informed her grandmother of the ordeal but she did not immediately report the incident to the police.

Sometime in June 2015, the girl informed another grandmother of hers who resides in Plumtree that she had sores on her private parts.

She narrated her ordeal and the grandmother reported the matter at the police post in Madlambuzi.

The teen was taken to Plumtree hospital for medical examinations while police tracked and arrested Sibanda.

In his defence, Sibanda told the court that he was being framed by relatives who failed to settle the bill after he had successfully removed evil spirits from their homestead.

There was even more drama in court when Sibanda refused to swear before giving evidence as he declared that his ancestors, who are responsible for giving him supernatural powers, would take back their powers from him should he submit to Christianity. source-newzimbabwe

 

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