A 26-year-old man from Plumtree was arrested for hitting his grandma with an iron bar after saying she was a witch, based on what he said were the words of local prophets.
Admire Nyathi went to court on Thursday and was remanded in prison until January 24. Plumtree magistrate Joshua Nembaware saw him.
People are talking about the power of self-proclaimed prophets and the rise of witchcraft claims in rural areas because of what happened on January 9.
Taking Place
The prosecutor, Selestine Madziwa, says Nyathi took an iron bar and went up to his grandma, accusing her of witchcraft.
He used the tool to hit her once in the head. When other locals stepped in and caught Nyathi, they stopped the attack and gave him to the police.
The older woman was hurt, but she is said to be getting better.
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Prophets Making People Suspicious
In court, Nyathi said he did what he did because prophets told him witches caused his lousy luck. He specifically blamed his grandmother for what he thought was his bad luck.
The story has made people worry about how so-called prophets can keep families and communities afraid and suspicious.
In Zimbabwe, many prophets say they have supernatural powers that let them find witches or other bad people. They often target weak people, like the old.
How the Community Reacted
The event shocked and divided the villagers. Some were angry at Nyathi for her actions, while others were upset that preachers take advantage of desperate people for their own gain.
One person in the village said, “This isn’t the first time that these kinds of accusations have led to violence.” “Those who spread false information as prophets should be held responsible for the harm they cause.”
Effects on the law and society
Legal experts and community leaders want the government to do something about fake prophets and their growing power.
Zimbabwe’s laws make it illegal to accuse someone of witchcraft without proof, but it’s still hard to enforce these laws in rural places where traditional beliefs are strong.
The government has previously told people not to trust prophets, that they haven’t checked out, and that they should get help for personal or family problems from qualified counsellors or the police.
Nyathi’s case is a stark warning of how dangerous false accusations of witchcraft can be and how spiritual practices need to be regulated more to protect weak people.
As the case progresses, there is hope that it will illuminate the effects of false prophets and start a conversation about how to deal with superstitions that hurt communities.
