Four miscarriages after threats
A MUTARE woman who bizarrely insulted and threatened to bewitch her sister-in-law — after which the victim suffered a record four miscarriages in five years — was cut to size and forced to eat her own words at Chief Mutasa’s court last Saturday.
For her weird actions and threats, Lizzy Hodora was dragged to the community court.
She was accused of threatening to plague Moreblessing Maguramhenga with child-bearing misfortunes.
Maguramhenga initially dragged Hodora to court seeking an order to stop her from insulting her over her miscarriages.
Hodora allegedly insults and accuses her of ‘barrenness’ and ‘feasting on her unborn babies’.
Maguramhenga has a child, and suffered four miscarriages in the last five years.
She gave a normal birth before Hodora’s marriage in the family.
The two women’s husbands are brothers. Maguramhenga started suspecting Hodora’s hidden hand in her miscarriages following a misunderstanding in which she hurled insults at her, and insisted she would ‘never give birth again’.
“I have had four miscarriages and stillbirths, which is very painful because being a woman I need to bear children. However, Hodora is making my life so unbearable. She rubs salt on the wounds by insulting me about my situation. She vowed that I will never bear a child again, and I am now scared of falling pregnant because of her threats.
“What if she is the one who is behind all the misfortunes? Before she got married into the family, I had a normal birth. Upon her marriage, the tables were turned and it has been miscarriage after miscarriage,” she said.
Maguramhenga said Hodora has driven a wedged between her and their mother-in-law. She allegedly feeds her with all sorts of lies.
“She fed our mother-in-law with unfounded allegations that I was eating my unborn babies. Since then, our relationship was strained. My mother-in-law now hates me to the point of withdrawing her support and comfort even during the aftermath of the miscarriages,” she said.
Maguramhenga’s husband, Simbarashe Sigauke pleaded to be allowed to consult a traditional healer to ascertain who was behind his wife’s miscarriages.
“We need spiritual consultations because the way this woman behaves is awkward. I have tried to talk and restrain her on several occasions, but she is a hard nut to crack,” he said, adding that Hodora at one time almost killed his brother (her husband).
“At one time, she smashed my brother with a coffee mug on the head, and he bled profusely. I took him to the hospital where he got 17 stitches.
“What shocked me is that she texted and lied to me that her hubby had not returned from work that evening, giving herself an alibi in the event that he had died before getting help. So, with such actions, I do not think it would be proper for us to ignore her threats against my wife,” he said.
Hodora confirmed hurling despicable insults about her sister-in-law’s miscarriages.
She said she wanted to hurt Maguramhenga since she labels their mother-in-law a witch.
“I know I was wrong, but when we were still friends, she used to tell me a lot of things, including accusations that our mother-in-law was the one eating her unborn babies. I verbally attacked her to defend our mother-in-law.
“I am not a witch. I was angry when I uttered those words. I would like to apologise for my unbecoming behaviour. Even if you drag us to traditional healers or prophets, I will be cleared, because I am not a witch,” she said.
Hodora also apologised for assaulting her husband.
Chief Mutasa urged the Sigaukes to tame Hodora after identifying her as the architect of many problems in the family.
“Now that the tables have been turned, and you are now enduring the destructive power of your baseless accusations, how do you feel? It is wrong for you to use someone’s pain against them like what you have been doing with your sister-in-law. She is in pain, has endured four miscarriages and you are using that to ridicule her. How heartless are you? Just because you are your mother-in-law’s favourite does not mean you should flout wings over others because one day this curse will be transferred to you,” he said.
Chief Mutasa urged Maguramhenga to consult specialists to help her with her condition.
He also ordered them to consult a traditional healer to ascertain if Hodora was behind her miscarriages.