Zimbabwe’s Harare — Complex and concerning information has surfaced in the witchcraft case of socialite Natalie Mhandu, popularly known as “Enchantress.” These disclosures come after she made her first court appearance earlier this week.
Natalie appeared before Harare magistrate Sikhethile Moyo at that hearing. The magistrate gave her unconditional release because she came willingly from her house and the court did not impose bail or compel her to submit a plea.
The controversy started when Natalie asked her 48-year-old former domestic worker, Elizabeth Mharire, to go with her to see a traditional healer, according to court documents. According to reports, Natalie went to Christine Matashu, also known as Manjenjenje, in Glen Norah for spiritual help.
The three went to Churu Farm in Glen View, where Natalie allegedly planned to curse a third party, known as the complainant in the reports. According to reports, Natalie performed the ceremony as directed by the traditional healer after she arrived at the remote location.
Natalie Alleged Ritual
The names “Mwarianesu,” “Amanda,” “Ishmael,” and “Tariro Maumbe” were etched by Natalie on a crimson fabric that was important to the purported ceremony. She wrote the names on the cloth and gave it to Matashu, who coated it with snuff. Natalie is accused of carrying out instructions to dig a hole, bury the cloth and a knife (called bakatwa in Shona), and recite her wishes over the buried objects.
On July 5, things became more heated when Mharire came home to find snuff all over her bedroom and personal belongings. Natalie was confronted and informed that the snuff had been inadvertently misplaced. When Mharire discovered snuff on the toilet seat, things became worse, and Natalie allegedly shifted the responsibility to Mharire’s ancestral ghost.
ALSO READ: High Court Orders Retrial for Musician “Chillmaster” in Fatal Road Accident Case
Uncomfortable, Mharire decided to quit Natalie’s job. Natalie allegedly removed all of the maid’s pictures from her phone during a heated exchange, cautioning her against posting them on social media.
On July 9, two days later, Mharire told the complainant that Natalie had cast a “bad spell” on her. Then she asked the complainant to come back to the farm with her. The cloth and knife that were allegedly used in Natalie’s ritual were discovered when the two dug out the buried objects on July 10.
The case was deffered to August 13 for trial.
