The case in which senior Zanu PF officials are accusing each other of witchcraft in the fight to land candidacy in the forthcoming elections continued on Friday with the accused applying for discharge at the close of the State’s case.
Complainants in the case include war veterans leader Joseph Chinotimba, Zanu PF politiburo member Kumbirai Kangai and Buhera North MP William Mtomba, who accuse Buhera district chairman Zvenyika Machokoto and his wife Judith Modzeri of attempting to kill them through witchcraft.
The accused couple is facing charges of conspiring to engage in practices commonly associated with witchcraft as defined in section 98(1) of Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
They are alleged to have hired the services of Jimmy Motsi an exhumer who recently made headlines in leading exhumation processes of the fallen heroes. Motsi was allegedly tasked with wiping out senior party members to pave way for Machokoto’s ascendency in party structures in the province.
Machokoto is alleged to have said in his ritual prayers that the complainants were a stumbling block to his political ambitions and the only way to land candidacy for a parliamentary seat, was through casting spells on them all.
However, his plot hit a brick wall after Motsi reportedly informed the complainants he had been offered $7 000 for the job which he was reluctant to do.
This prompted the complainants to report the matter to the police leading to the arrest of Machokoto and his wife.
At the close of the defence case on Friday, a member of the ZRP, Jokonia Nyakudya, left the court in stitches after he confirmed that during the rituals he purportedly acted as a prophet so as to record the proceedings when Motsi was expected to cast a spell on the complainants.
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However, most of the witnesses who testified in the matter conceded the said ritual, which was performed last year to eliminate the complainants at Machokoto’s shop in Buhera, was in fact a religious ceremony.
The revelation prompted defence lawyer Peter Makombe to apply for discharge at the close of the State case.
Magistrate Annia Ndiraya is expected to make a ruling on the application on March 19. Mike Tembo appeared for the State.
