A 60-year-old self-styled traditional healer was arrested on Tuesday following a misunderstanding with a married woman he allegedly convinced to divorce her husband before impregnating and “kidnapping” her later.
The traditional healer, Darlington Mabudu, popularly known as Sekuru Nyashanu in Epworth, allegedly used false prophecies to trap Faith Macha.
He charged Macha US$150 for “cleansing” her but she failed to raise the money.
Mabudu allegedly told her that her husband was behind her misfortunes and she had to divorce him.
He reportedly told Faith that she had to accompany him to Shamva for further help, where they ended up staying as husband and wife.
Speaking to H-Metro, Macha said he met Mabudu along a road and he gave her a “prophecy” there and then. She said:
"Sekuru met me along the road and convinced me that he had the spiritual powers to see my life issues.
"I informed my mother about it and we consulted him, but failed to pay the US$150 he demanded.
"He later agreed to conduct cleansing ceremonies for free.
"Sekuru convinced my mother that he had to take me to various spirit mediums in Shamva and Westgate where we ended up sharing the same bed.
"He ordered me to divorce my husband claiming that he was the one causing my misfortunes and to also surrender my child to him."
Macha said after they returned from Shamva, she had a sexual relationship with another man and fell pregnant but he denied responsibility saying the dates did not tally. She said:
"This was caused by Sekuru Nyashanu and I ended up staying with Sekuru at his friend’s house in Westgate.
"Sekuru Nyashanu confiscated my mobile phone and my mother looked for me until she learnt about where I was and came to take me by force.
"Sekuru Nyashanu is responsible for my pregnancy. I fell for Sekuru Nyashanu’s trap and believed his false visions.
"He forced me to divorce my husband and impregnated me."
Cases of fake spiritualists who take advantage of naive people, especially women are common in Zimbabwe.
Over the years, countless people have lost cash and other cherished possessions to bogus traditional healers, fake faith healers and pastors, while some women have been raped by these charlatans.
