Woman seeks protection from husband over forced rituals

Source: The Herald – Breaking news.

 

Anotida Chonzi-Court Reporter

A Harare woman and her daughter have been granted protection orders after approaching the civil court, accusing their husband and father of forcing them to take part in unwanted traditional rituals and subjecting them to emotional abuse.

Onisco Chipanga and her daughter Calisca brought the matter before Harare Civil Court Magistrate Meenal Narotam, alleging that Try Chipanga, Onisco’s husband, had been coercing them into spiritual cleansing ceremonies, alongside ongoing harassment and verbal abuse.

“My father forced me to go to a ritual because he said he believes that I am possessed,” Calisca told the court.

“He took me to a river without my consent, and a traditional healer pushed me into the water. I struggled to breathe.”

She further stated that her father regularly insults her, calls her a witch, and blames her for his personal failures.

“He says I’m the reason he’s not succeeding in life and keeps telling me to leave his house,” she said.

Onisco backed her daughter’s claims, describing a pattern of aggressive and paranoid behaviour by her husband.

“He insults me with vulgar language in front of the children and threatens to beat me,” she said.

“The last time he hit me was in January, and now the kids have to step in when he gets violent.”

The court also heard that Try frequently invades Onisco’s privacy, checking her phone and listening to her conversations.

“He thinks I’m plotting against him with my family,” she added.

In a particularly disturbing incident, Onisco recounted how Try brought home a bottle of blood, demanding that the family wash their faces with it as part of a cleansing ritual.

When she refused, he allegedly began smashing household items in anger and ordered the family to leave the house.

“My children and I had to sleep at my sister’s house that night,” Onisco said.

The defendant did not appear in court for the hearing.

Magistrate Narotam proceeded to grant protection orders in favour of Onisco and Calisca, barring Try from subjecting them to any rituals without their consent and preventing him from evicting them from their home.