VILLAGERS in Dungwani A in the Fumugwe area under Chief Malachi in Kezi were left stunned on Saturday after a 70-year-old self-proclaimed traditional healer confessed to killing a nine-year-old boy in 1979 for suspected ritual purposes. The traditional healer allegedly killed the boy after he had been brought to her house to be treated for measles.
The healer, granny Esnath Sibanda, made the brazen confession before a horde of stunned villagers claiming she killed the boy, Ndabezinhle Moyo, who would have turned 45 this year.
She wanted human flesh and blood to make a sacrifice to her ancestors. So stunning were the revelations that sent shivers down the spines of many villagers who crammed the Moyo homestead to religiously follow Sibanda’s larger-than-life confession.
In an interview with B-Metro, Sibanda disclosed that she had decided to confess after a prophet she visited for help advised her to do so.
She said for the past three decades after committing the crime, she knew no peace in her life as the deceased was giving her sleepless nights by constantly appearing in her dreams.
She claimed that the prophet from Figtree who she only identified as SamaNgwe confided to her that if she wanted to lead a new life as a Christian she has to go back to Kezi and apologise to the deceased boy’s family for the crime she committed 36 years ago.
Meanwhile, as she narrated how she killed her victim, villagers stood in awe. The deceased boy’s mother, Ntombana Manzi, who was grappling to come terms with why Sibanda committed such a grisly act on her son, vainly tried to hold back her tears.
“My life is now a living hell as I am being haunted by the spirit of Ndabezinhle I killed in 1979 after his mother brought him to my house for healing. This was after he suffered from measles. I killed him because I wanted human flesh and blood to make a sacrifice to my ancestors. I am being haunted by his spirit which always appears in my dreams. I tried to keep it to myself for a long time but having been tired of the torment I saw it good to reveal the matter to his parents so that I can have rest.
“I also decided to confess after a prophet in Figtree I had visited for deliverance advised me that I could only be set free if I confessed to the deceased boy’s family. That is the reason why I am here today so that the Moyo family will assist me to get rid of the torment I am going through because of their son I killed. I am desperately in need of their pardon after I revealed this secret to them which was proving to be a stumbling block in my life,” Sibanda said in a bizarre and demonic voice.
Asked whether she was responsible for the mysterious death of other seven children from the Moyo family, Sibanda remained tight lipped for sometime before she stood up and said:
“I am only responsible for the death of Ndabezinhle. Although I confessed that I killed him I am not responsible for the death of other seven children. May the Moyo family forgive me and have this matter solved at family level. If they want to be appeased for the injury I inflicted on them I am prepared to do so,” said a remorseful Sibanda.
Following her confession, the Moyo family, who suspected that Sibanda was also responsible for all the misfortunes which were bedevilling the family, said they were waiting to hear from Chief Malachi and other family members who were absent to see what action to take against Sibanda.
What they said after the larger-than-life confession:
“I am really saddened and heartbroken after Sibanda confessed that she killed my son 36 years ago. It’s a shock to everyone. Before she went to Figtree to stay with her grandchildren we had been staying together here and treating each other as neighbours. Now with her confession, I don’t even know what to do. She has opened wounds which had long been healed. As a family, we will see what action to take against her,” Gogo MaManzi Ndabezinhle’s mother said.
Let bygones be bygones
“Even if we want to be harsh on her this will not bring back our brother. To err is human and to forgive is Godly. I just believe she was supposed to let sleeping dogs lie by not revealing this gory tale to us. However we will engage other family members who are not here so as to come up with the most appropriate solution,” said Ernest Moyo, Ndabezihle’s elder brother.
Proper procedure not followed
“Traditionally Sibanda should have come with somebody from her family to make her confessions. Although she claimed she was troubled by Ndabezinhle’s spirit for a long time we are also surprised why she also took that long to confess to us. Just imagine it’s now 36 years she was just supposed to keep it to herself. She said she was even prepared to appease us but she had nothing to herself and she is being looked after by her grandchildren,” said Jonathan Moyo, Ndabezinhle’s younger brother.
Community in fear
“This is unheard of and I am at a loss of words. My subjects are now living in fear and all those who lost their children are now suspecting it was Sibanda who was responsible. People no longer want to associate with her because of the evil practices which she confessed to have practised. Although she was remorseful throughout her confession I believe she hid a lot from us. However, we are more than willing to reintegrate her into the society if she genuinely repents,” said headman Elias Moyo. Herald
The healer, granny Esnath Sibanda, made the brazen confession before a horde of stunned villagers claiming she killed the boy, Ndabezinhle Moyo, who would have turned 45 this year.
 |
| Healer confesses to killing neighbour’s boy (9) in 1979… |
In an interview with B-Metro, Sibanda disclosed that she had decided to confess after a prophet she visited for help advised her to do so.
She said for the past three decades after committing the crime, she knew no peace in her life as the deceased was giving her sleepless nights by constantly appearing in her dreams.
She claimed that the prophet from Figtree who she only identified as SamaNgwe confided to her that if she wanted to lead a new life as a Christian she has to go back to Kezi and apologise to the deceased boy’s family for the crime she committed 36 years ago.
Meanwhile, as she narrated how she killed her victim, villagers stood in awe. The deceased boy’s mother, Ntombana Manzi, who was grappling to come terms with why Sibanda committed such a grisly act on her son, vainly tried to hold back her tears.
 |
| Healer confesses to killing neighbour’s boy (9) in 1979… |
“I also decided to confess after a prophet in Figtree I had visited for deliverance advised me that I could only be set free if I confessed to the deceased boy’s family. That is the reason why I am here today so that the Moyo family will assist me to get rid of the torment I am going through because of their son I killed. I am desperately in need of their pardon after I revealed this secret to them which was proving to be a stumbling block in my life,” Sibanda said in a bizarre and demonic voice.
Asked whether she was responsible for the mysterious death of other seven children from the Moyo family, Sibanda remained tight lipped for sometime before she stood up and said:
“I am only responsible for the death of Ndabezinhle. Although I confessed that I killed him I am not responsible for the death of other seven children. May the Moyo family forgive me and have this matter solved at family level. If they want to be appeased for the injury I inflicted on them I am prepared to do so,” said a remorseful Sibanda.
Following her confession, the Moyo family, who suspected that Sibanda was also responsible for all the misfortunes which were bedevilling the family, said they were waiting to hear from Chief Malachi and other family members who were absent to see what action to take against Sibanda.
What they said after the larger-than-life confession:
“I am really saddened and heartbroken after Sibanda confessed that she killed my son 36 years ago. It’s a shock to everyone. Before she went to Figtree to stay with her grandchildren we had been staying together here and treating each other as neighbours. Now with her confession, I don’t even know what to do. She has opened wounds which had long been healed. As a family, we will see what action to take against her,” Gogo MaManzi Ndabezinhle’s mother said.
Let bygones be bygones
“Even if we want to be harsh on her this will not bring back our brother. To err is human and to forgive is Godly. I just believe she was supposed to let sleeping dogs lie by not revealing this gory tale to us. However we will engage other family members who are not here so as to come up with the most appropriate solution,” said Ernest Moyo, Ndabezihle’s elder brother.
Proper procedure not followed
“Traditionally Sibanda should have come with somebody from her family to make her confessions. Although she claimed she was troubled by Ndabezinhle’s spirit for a long time we are also surprised why she also took that long to confess to us. Just imagine it’s now 36 years she was just supposed to keep it to herself. She said she was even prepared to appease us but she had nothing to herself and she is being looked after by her grandchildren,” said Jonathan Moyo, Ndabezinhle’s younger brother.
Community in fear
“This is unheard of and I am at a loss of words. My subjects are now living in fear and all those who lost their children are now suspecting it was Sibanda who was responsible. People no longer want to associate with her because of the evil practices which she confessed to have practised. Although she was remorseful throughout her confession I believe she hid a lot from us. However, we are more than willing to reintegrate her into the society if she genuinely repents,” said headman Elias Moyo. Herald
