Man threatens to kill ‘witch’ mother in-law over daughter’s death
Pensioner lives in fear
The six persons accused of setting fire to Nepembe's cuca shop appeared in the Kahenge Periodic Court in January, but are now all out on bail.
A witchcraft-accused pensioner from Kasivi village in the Kavango West Region is unable to leave her homestead after her son-in-law recently threatened to kill her.
He blames her for his daughter’s death.
Earlier this year, Namibian Sun reported that six people, including a teacher, were arrested after they burnt down a cuca shop belonging to Sindimba Laurencia Nepembe (61), whom they accused of bewitching her own granddaughter, who died on New Year’s Eve.
They appeared in the Kahenge Periodic Court in January facing various charges, however, Namibian Sun has been informed that they are all out on bail.
The allegations of Nepembe being a witch emanated after the father of her late granddaughter approached a self-proclaimed prophet from Rundu, who prophesised that the child died because she was being bewitched by her grandmother.
At the time, the community took matters into their own hands and set fire to Nepembe’s cuca shop.
Namibian Sun understands the six accused are close to the father of the late child.
Fears for her life
In that article, Namibian Sun reported that the pensioner fears for her life after threats that the accused would kill her.
This week, she echoed those sentiments, saying she has been confined to her homestead out of fear.
“I do not walk around in the community because my life is in danger. To them, I am a witch who needs to be killed,” she said.
Nepembe said two weeks ago, while sitting in the flood plain of the Kavango River with her 19-year-old daughter crafting traditional baskets, the father of her late granddaughter appeared out of nowhere and allegedly threatened to kill her.
“It was around 17:00 when he and another man approached me. He started accusing me of being a witch and said that I deserve to die. He even said ‘why I can’t just kill her now, just like she killed my daughter’,” Nepembe narrated.
She said she immediately packed her belongings and rushed home.
Ever since that day, she no longer goes to the river on her own, she said.
“I will only go to the river when I am in the company of four or more people. I am scared that he might kill me, like he said he will,” she said.
Ruined reputation
When asked whether she reported the matter to the police, Nepembe said did not, as she does not their contact details.
She called on the police to warn her son-in-law to stop threatening her.
Meanwhile, regarding her torched cuca shop, she said she has no plans to reconstruct it because her reputation in the community is ruined.
Although she lost her cuca shop which brought in an income, Nepembe said she will try by all means to take care of her family with the monthly pension grant she receives.
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He blames her for his daughter’s death.
Earlier this year, Namibian Sun reported that six people, including a teacher, were arrested after they burnt down a cuca shop belonging to Sindimba Laurencia Nepembe (61), whom they accused of bewitching her own granddaughter, who died on New Year’s Eve.
They appeared in the Kahenge Periodic Court in January facing various charges, however, Namibian Sun has been informed that they are all out on bail.
The allegations of Nepembe being a witch emanated after the father of her late granddaughter approached a self-proclaimed prophet from Rundu, who prophesised that the child died because she was being bewitched by her grandmother.
At the time, the community took matters into their own hands and set fire to Nepembe’s cuca shop.
Namibian Sun understands the six accused are close to the father of the late child.
Fears for her life
In that article, Namibian Sun reported that the pensioner fears for her life after threats that the accused would kill her.
This week, she echoed those sentiments, saying she has been confined to her homestead out of fear.
“I do not walk around in the community because my life is in danger. To them, I am a witch who needs to be killed,” she said.
Nepembe said two weeks ago, while sitting in the flood plain of the Kavango River with her 19-year-old daughter crafting traditional baskets, the father of her late granddaughter appeared out of nowhere and allegedly threatened to kill her.
“It was around 17:00 when he and another man approached me. He started accusing me of being a witch and said that I deserve to die. He even said ‘why I can’t just kill her now, just like she killed my daughter’,” Nepembe narrated.
She said she immediately packed her belongings and rushed home.
Ever since that day, she no longer goes to the river on her own, she said.
“I will only go to the river when I am in the company of four or more people. I am scared that he might kill me, like he said he will,” she said.
Ruined reputation
When asked whether she reported the matter to the police, Nepembe said did not, as she does not their contact details.
She called on the police to warn her son-in-law to stop threatening her.
Meanwhile, regarding her torched cuca shop, she said she has no plans to reconstruct it because her reputation in the community is ruined.
Although she lost her cuca shop which brought in an income, Nepembe said she will try by all means to take care of her family with the monthly pension grant she receives.
[email protected]
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