Woman ‘loses’ $30k cash and $15k Mercedes to sangoma

By Walter Mswazie

A MASVINGO woman allegedly lost cash and property with a combined value of about $45,000 to a local traditional healer under the guise that he was freeing her husband, a businessman, from goblins haunting him.

The businessman, Teedzerai Ndige, is suffering from mental problems and his wife, Mamboininga’s bid to get help from a sangoma, Soshangane Nzumakase, 32, saw her losing $30,000 cash and a Mercedes Benz worth about $15,0000.

Early this month, Nzumakase told Mamboininga that he had found some human flesh in another Mercedes Benz belonging to her and demanded the car’s registration book so that he could go and burn the goblin in Bulawayo.

After handing over the second vehicle, Mamboininga suspected Nzumakase had duped her and reported the case to the police.

The police arrested Nzumakase along the Masvingo-Mbalabala road on his way to Bulawayo and recovered the Mercedez Benz and $15,000 cash.

Nzumakase yesterday appeared before Masvingo provincial magistrate Langton Ndokera charged with extortion.

He pleaded not guilty and was remanded out of custody to February 15. The sangoma said he rendered the services that were paid for and as such did not extort anyone.

Nzumakase who is represented by Collin Maboke of Ruvengo, Maboke and company said he helped Ndige when he teamed up with three other Chipinge-based traditional leaders to kill a powerful goblin that was troubling the businessman who has a mental problem.

He also said he lost some household property when a mysterious snake he wanted to burn instead torched all his clothes back home to punish him for assisting the businessman.

“My honour I lost some of my household property to fire when I attempted to burn a big snake I found at this businessman’s residence.The mysterious snake which I wanted to burn instead torched my clothes at my home,” he said.

Tavonga Musina, for the State, told the court that sometime in 2012, Mamboininga approached Nzumakase for assistance after Ndige developed a mental illness.

Nzumakase told the businessman’s wife that in order for her husband to recover, he had to kill the goblin that was causing the illness.

The sangoma allegedly told her that he also needed to seek assistance from strong traditional healers from Chipinge.

Mamboininga and other family members went to Chipinge’s Tamandai area where rituals were performed, the court heard.

However, this did not change anything as Ndige’s condition deteriorated.

“In January 2013 Nzumakase demanded payment claiming he had saved Ndige from death and was given a Mercedes Benz and $30,000 cash,” said Musina.

Early this month, Nzumakase told Mamboininga that he had found some human flesh in her Mercedes Benz and demanded the car’s registration book so that he could go and burn the goblin in Bulawayo.

After handing over the vehicle, Mamboininga became suspicious and made a report to the police leading to Nzumakase’s arrest along the Masvingo-Mbalabala road while driving the vehicle. The Chronicle