In Epworth, a 60-year-old self-styled traditional healer, Darlington Mabudu, known as Sekuru Nyashanu, was apprehended on Tuesday following a dispute involving a married woman he purportedly convinced to divorce her husband before impregnating her and subsequently “kidnapping” her.
The woman, Faith Macha, accused Mabudu of using false prophecies to manipulate her. She claimed that Mabudu initially demanded US$150 for “cleansing” rituals but later agreed to conduct them for free.
According to Macha, Mabudu convinced her and her mother that she needed to accompany him to various spirit mediums in Shamva and Westgate. During their travels, they allegedly stayed together as husband and wife, with Mabudu instructing Macha to divorce her husband, whom he blamed for her misfortunes, and to surrender her child to him.
Macha further claimed that after returning from Shamva, she engaged in a sexual relationship with another man, resulting in pregnancy. However, Mabudu denied responsibility and confiscated her phone, leading to Macha’s mother forcibly retrieving her from Mabudu’s custody.
Macha attributed her predicament to falling for Mabudu’s deceitful tactics and false visions, accusing him of coercing her into divorce and impregnating her.
Cases of fraudulent spiritualists exploiting vulnerable individuals, particularly women, are alarmingly common in Zimbabwe. Many victims have fallen prey to these charlatans, losing valuables and enduring various forms of exploitation and abuse.
Such incidents underscore the need for heightened awareness and vigilance against exploitation by fake healers and spiritualists within communities.
