Masvingo Traditional Healer Attempts Suicide in Court After 20-Year Rape Sentence

Southerton Business Times
May 24
2 min read

A traditional healer from Masvingo allegedly attempted to take his own life inside a courtroom moments after being sentenced to 20 years in prison for rape. Obvious Mauyire, 35, of Mazungunye Village under Chief Mazungunye in Bikita, was convicted by Regional Magistrate Innocent Bepura on 22 May 2026. He was found guilty of raping an 18-year-old woman during what he claimed was a spiritual cleansing ceremony intended to free her from a “spiritual husband.”

According to reports presented in court, Mauyire allegedly swallowed an unknown pill shortly after the sentence was passed. Witnesses said the courtroom was suddenly filled with a strong smell before the convict reportedly began convulsing in the dock. Court officials and police officers rushed to assist him before he was transported to Masvingo Provincial Hospital for emergency treatment. His condition had not been officially disclosed at the time of publication.

Prosecutor Nixon Chamisa told the court that the incident occurred on 14 November 2025 after the complainant and her family visited Mauyire’s shrine seeking spiritual assistance. The teenager, who comes from Dulivadzimu in Beitbridge, had travelled with relatives for what was reportedly their second consultation with the healer. The family had allegedly been instructed to bring four bottles of Nyathi opaque beer and snuff for the cleansing rituals. Upon arrival, they were also reportedly told to purchase Clear Aqua Spirit as a substitute for wine.

Court proceedings heard that the complainant was instructed to take snuff and drink traditional beer from a wooden cup during ancestral rituals. Mauyire later allegedly directed the family to return home while the teenager remained behind for an overnight cleansing ceremony at a nearby mountain. Although the complainant’s mother reportedly objected, she was allegedly assured that female assistants would accompany her daughter, something prosecutors said never happened. At around 10 pm, Mauyire allegedly assaulted and raped the complainant during the ceremony. The following morning, the teenager was reportedly instructed to bathe in warm water mixed with herbs as part of the ritual process.

The court heard that the complainant only disclosed the rape to her mother several months later, in March 2026. She reportedly told investigators that memories of the attack continued to haunt her and that reading a similar story online eventually encouraged her to speak out.

Gender rights activists have repeatedly warned communities against abusive practices disguised as spiritual or traditional healing rituals. Legal analyst Rumbidzai Mugwagwa said the case highlights the importance of safeguarding vulnerable people seeking spiritual assistance.