The Sunday News
Tatenda Gapare Sunday News Reporter
A FORMER Bubi Rural District Council chairman got lucky when police caught a traditional healer who had duped him of over $1 000 after claiming to have performed a ritual that would increase the money to $250 000. Cecil Mathambo saw an advert of the self-proclaimed sangoma in the local paper which allegedly claimed that he can solve financial problems by making one rich. In order to end his financial problems, Mathambo who is also a businessman, called the Malawian sangoma, Kalumbi Chibagali Bagga, to come and help him.
Bagga (35) from Magwegwe North suburb appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya charged with fraud.
Mathambo told the court that he saw an advert in the newspaper and he called Bagga who then ordered him to bring $150 to Harare.
“On 5 January 2016, I called Bagga to assist me with my financial problems. He told me to bring him $150 in Harare and I did so together with my wife Enjoice Mathambo.
“When we arrived we gave him the money and he mixed water and some medicine which he commanded us to bath in, in order to get rich.
“He then asked if I had any money urging that I was supposed to be honest in order for the rituals to succeed. I then gave him $80 which was money for transport to go back to Inyathi.
“Bagga took the money and put it in a dish of water and he asked me and my wife to wash our feet and face in that same dish. Furthermore, he asked me to buy a monarch bag and we were escorted by one of his men,” he said.
Mathambo said Bagga booked a lodge for them to sleep and they did not see him the following day as he was nowhere to be found. When they saw him they asked for money for transport and he sent his man to give them $30.
“We took the money and went back to Inyathi but Bagga said in order for the rituals to be completed he was charging us $25 for every process.
“He kept on calling me at home asking if we had money and on Monday 1 February, I told him we had $1 000. He told us that he was coming to perform some magic and do the final process of his rituals.
“When he arrived he commanded me to put the $1 000 in a plate and another $100 in a different plate and I did all that.
“He then took the money, spoke to spirit mediums and surprisingly he put the money under a seat in the car he came in. I told my wife to collect the money from the car and she did.
“He then ordered my daughter and wife to go outside while we remained in the house praying while naked,” said Matahambo.
It is alleged that Bagga said he had a small coffin in his bag which was watching everything that was happening. He then commanded Mathambo to go out while he remained with Enjoice and her daughter. Mathambo tipped his wife to keep an eye on the money in the bag and to be careful as he seemed not to trust Bagga.
Prosecuting, Mr NathanieI Mutsikwa said Bagga used this opportunity to loot money from the desperate family.
The court heard that Bagga told Enjoice that he was going to put $1 100 in a bag which would see the money multiplying overnight. He urged the family not to open the bag until the following night.
“The sangoma then instructed the family to close their eyes as he wanted to put the money in the bag and do his rituals so that it would multiply overnight.
“Following her husband’s tip Enjoice opened one of her eyes and she got the shock of her life as she saw Bagga putting the money in his pocket instead of the bag. Not knowing that he was being observed Bagga told the family that he was done and their money would multiply overnight.
“He then quickly left the house without notifying Mathambo who was still waiting outside,” he said.
It is alleged that Bagga took the money and called them after 30 minutes claiming to be doing further rituals at a grave.
Enjoice and Mathambo then opened the bag which was tied with a white cloth and they discovered that Bagga had robbed them.
Mathambo then called one Vusa Chili who then reported the matter to the police. Bagga was then arrested together with his driver after being caught at Ngwigwisi Bridge near Inyathi.
Bagga, who gave back the money, claimed that Mathambo was a Dr Chapala’s regular customer and he was sent to do the job on behalf of him.
“I do not admit to the charges laid against me. I am just an apprentice of Dr Chapala and Mathambo is a customer who gets services from him so I was sent to do the job which they agreed payment of $1 100. I was given the money after completing my job and I went back,” he said.
Bagga was lucky as the magistrate withdrew charges before plea due to lack of evidence.
