By EPHRAIM CEASAR
A JOHN Lainge compound resident has dragged her neighbour to Kanyama local court for calling her a witch after she lost her marriage.
Facts before the court are that the two are neighbours and their children play together and even do sleep overs.
Other facts are that in July 2020, the plaintiff lost her marriage to another woman because of her careless mouth.
Florence Manenga, 40, a marketeer, of John Laing compound sued, Sharon Mutale, 38, a marketeer of the same locality for calling her a witch.
Manenga told the court that when her marriage ended, Mutale celebrated with her other friend who told her that she did not deserve such a good man.
Manenga said, Mutale was heard by their mutual friend saying she had put something in her lotion which made her husband hate her and called her a witch.
“Nkani ili so uyu Mutale enzo uza mzathu wininagu Joyce ati in ndine mfwiti elo ni thukana that’s why ba muna banga banini siya, manje ine nifuno ziba kuti evidence yau mwfiti wanga ilikuti,” Manenga said
She added that even her fellow marketeers told her that Mutale was saying she was a witch that’s why she sold more than her friends.
In her defence Mutale denied calling her a witch and that the only reason Manenga had brought her to court was because she had started seducing her husband.
Mutale said she trusted Manenga for a long time because the two have been friends for a long time but she was shocked when she noticed that after her marriage ended she started wearing short skirts whenever her husband is around.
“Chamene chati leta kuno, ni issue yakuti uyu mzanga ine sininani vi kambeko vau mfwiti koma uyu afuna ka yamba chibeleshi kuli ba muna banga, ba muna banga ngati bali pa nyumba ndishi azambo bwela bwela mu ma mini kuti amuna bang aba mufune,” Mutale said.
Magistrate Mubukwanu Matalak dismissed the case on the grounds that the key witness was not before the court.
He said cases of witchcraft were difficult to pursue because often there was no evidence, and worse still, in this case it was hearsay and no actual words being told to the plaintiff.
I am not a witch – marketeer
