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Leonard Ncube  Victoria Falls Reporter
A group of suspected witch-hunters (tsikamuatandas) is reportedly mobilising villagers and blocking them from accessing health services at a makeshift healthcare centre in Jambezi, a court heard yesterday.Victoria Falls magistrate Sharon Rosemani was told this by headman Mathias Sikagune Ncube, 66, from Matetsi who is the complainant in the matter in which a witch-hunter, 19-year-old Jabulani Nyoni, and seven alleged accomplices are accused of kidnapping villagers and unlawfully detaining them while accusing them of being wizards and witches.

Headman Ncube who resides at Zhulandangalilo area told the court that Jabulani, Bernard Muchelwana, 76, Govias Ncube, 59, Professor Chipegwa Nyoni, 45, Tadius Phindani Ncube, 59, Philip Ncube, 69, Mathias Ncube (age not given) and Mathew Miti, 57, allegedly kidnapped and detained him at their shrine which they set up in the area.

Mathias, Mathew and Muchelwana are village heads while Govias and Philip are Chief Shana’s advisors. Nyoni is a member of the Neighbourhood Watch Committee and were all allegedly working with Jabulani who had opened a shrine in Zhulandangariro ward.
Headman Ncube claimed he was pricked with a needle and forcibly shaved by Jabulani.

Jabulani, Muchelwana, Govias, Nyoni, Tadius, Philip, Mathias and Miti appeared yesterday at the Victoria Falls courts for a routine remand. They were all remanded out of custody to June 8 on $50 bail for commencement of trial.

The eight are jointly charged with kidnapping and unlawful detention while Jabulani has a separate charge of extortion as he was allegedly collecting villagers’ livestock as payment for his services.

Headman Ncube told magistrate Rosemani that the eight were mobilising villagers telling them not to visit a government supported healthcare centre run by the complainant’s wife, Enitah Mhaka.

He also claimed the eight had threatened to kidnap him again.

“My wife is a health worker and these people are discouraging people from accessing services telling them they will be bewitched. There are also rumours that they are planning to kidnap me and make me disappear for good. I haven’t done anything wrong because I’m a law abiding citizen,” said the complainant.

The eight men’s lawyer, Thulani Nkala of Dube and Company, said his clients would not respond to rumours. Rosemani warned the defence counsel to desist from interfering with witnesses as she could easily revoke bail.

Headman Ncube’s wife Mhaka is a trained health worker and about five villages access health services such as drugs and baby weighing at her homestead. She serves more than 30 people every month.

Prosecuting, Takunda Ndovorwi said in November last year, the eight claimed that the complainant and his wife were practising witchcraft and shaved their heads.

The matter was reported to the police leading to the eight’s arrest.