THERE was pandemonium at Chief Mutasa’s community court recently when an avenging spirit made unusual and startling demands to be paid a cow (female) elephant and 35 cattle as part of the appeasement of his death.
The purported avenging spirit of Lazarus Madekerera, manifesting through a minor female family member, expressed an insatiable desire for appeasement, further demanding a newly built house, land to farm and a tombstone on his grave, as his grave was in a deplorable state since 1988.
Lazarus’ spirit said it was sexually starved, throughout the court session, and spiritedly demanded a wife, but was informed that Government had banned the practice of appeasing avenging spirits with the girl child.
Unfazed, the spirit sought an alternative – a female elephant – claiming it would suffice in place of a wife.
The deceased’s spirit was adamant that cattle alone would not satisfy his appetite for revenge, insisting that his own family, which he accused of causing his untimely death, must fulfil the demands in full.
“Give me a wife, I should be having sex by now. Every man present here at this court is enjoying their conjugal rights, even you my chief, so why are you making it hard for me to get a wife? Get me my wife and cattle.
“If you do not want to give a wife, then give me a female elephant as well as 35 cattle, house, and land for farming. My family should also erect a tombstone on my grave. I died in 1988, but my grave is in a deplorable state. Cattle alone will not quench my desire to revenge. I should have had at least four children and some grandchildren by now had I not been killed through my wicked father’s goblins,” shouted the spirit.
Lazarus’ father, Jairos, whom the spirit accused of killing him is now late.
This left Lazarus’ younger brother, Passmore to answer for both their sins.
He challenged Lazarus’ version of events in court. Passmore said Lazarus took his own life after setting their father’s hut on fire.
“I am shocked that this is happening because Lazarus killed himself after setting our father’s hut on fire. I was younger than him, but was present when he burnt the hut. Out of fear, he ran away when our father came home. He returned home late that night, but was too afraid to enter the house and fled again. The next day, we found him hanging from a tree in the nearby bush,” he recounted.
Passmore questioned why Lazarus’ spirit was seeking revenge when it was widely known that he had committed suicide.
The scene became more unsettling as the minor, through whom Lazarus was speaking, sat provocatively before the court, prompting her family to hastily dress her in a pair of trousers under the skirt to maintain decency.
The disturbing nature of Lazarus’ avenging spirit’s awkward demands left elders and family members weak-kneed.
Adding to the tension, the avenging spirit of Passmore’s late uncle, Rishoni Madekerera, also manifested through the minor’s younger sister.
Rishoni claimed that he, too, was murdered by Passmore’s father, Jairos Madekerera, in a brutal way.
“His son is not lying. I know this because Jairos grabbed and pulled my privates resulting in my death. I am not the only one who suffered and died in such a painful manner. There are many other family members who were killed in a similar fashion. They should appease us,” demanded Rishoni’s spirit.
The minor girl’s mother, Precious Gunja-Madekerera confirmed her late father’s testimony, adding that before his death, he told the family about Jairos’ hand in his demise.
“Before his death, he told us that Jairos had pulled his private parts. He even ordered us his children to attend to this matter, but Passmore now wants to deny it, knowing that my children are suffering. He is very wicked. This is not child’s play. These deaths happened in the 80s when I was still a girl, and my children were born in the 2000s. How could they have known all the intricate details, most of which I do not even know,” she quipped with emotions.
She pleaded with the court for assistance in stopping the spirits from tormenting her daughters, saying the torrid experiences was disturbing them.
Chief Mutasa ordered the family to consult a traditional healer and revert to his court with feedback.