However, she has since returned and says she is not going back to her parents again. What should I do? When she served me food mixed with glass, I did not report the matter to the police out of concern for our children.
Akanzi ndewengozi asi tezvara vakati ndakabvisa (I am told my wife is possessed by an avenging spirit that causes her to behave this way. But my father-in-law insists he has had her cleansed and the spirit exorcised.) Im in trouble, please help!
Concerned Husband
Dear Concerned Husband
I do appreciate your decision not to report your wife to the police which could have seen her arrested and probably jailed a development that would no doubt have immensely traumatised your kids. It was a good decision not to rush to the police.
And I would suggest that since your wife is back with you, it would be wise to be a little more on the lookout in case she makes another attempt to feed you food mixed with glasses or even worse.
Back to your problem, you do not say whether you have tried to seek professional help for your wife from counsellors and psychologists and if so, what the outcome was.
It is quite possible that she could be facing other problems that would cause her to behave the way she is. I do not think it is a very wise idea to simply blame her behaviour on Ngozi (avenging spirit) and never try to seek professional/medical help for her.
And on the issue of Ngozi or avenging spirits, there are two ways to go about it: you could go the traditional route, that is you have to approach your in-laws again and try to convince them to attend to the problem. According to traditional religion and practice, only your in-laws — and not you can appease the spirit troubling their daughter.
You will have to involve your wifes uncles, aunts, sisters and brothers in this because these are the people who will be able to convince/pressure your father-in-law to act on this matter.
Alternatively, you could opt to go the christian way and seek Gods help to drive away the Ngozi spirit troubling your wife. Each church has its way of doing this and your local bishop, priest, pastor or prophet (if you belong to the Vapositori sects) will be able to help you and your wife.
Gracey
Hie
Im a guardian to my orphaned niece. She was caught with a boyfriend during my absence. The girl is 15 and the guy is HIV positive. I assaulted the boy and he reported me to the police who arrested me. Im out on bail. How do I report him?
Sam.
Hello Sam
It was wrong and illegal for you to take the law into your hands and assault the boy. You will have to see a lawyer to help you argue your case before the magistrate so that the court may exercise leniency upon you.
As for the case of your niece and her boyfriend, you did not state how old the guy is and what exactly was he caught doing to or with your niece. However, I am persuaded to presume that we are talking of a much older boy/man compared to your niece and that the two were caught having sex.
In that case, you have the right to — and should — report this man to the police for statutory rape. You should also mention to the police that the man is HIV positive.
The girl will be tested for HIV and if she tests positive, the man will most likely face a second charge of knowingly infecting the girl with HIV. He will have to convince the court that he did not know of his status before sleeping with your niece.
Please note that it does not matter whether your niece agreed to have sex with this man or that the two claim to be in love or intend to marry each other the fact is that the law considers a girl under the age of 16 years a minor who is not competent to agree to sex.
It is your duty as a guardian to your niece to report this matter to the police so that the law may take its course and set an example to other would-be sexual predators.
Organisations like Musasa Project, Girl Child Network and other womens rights groups would be able to either help you get a lawyer for your niece or direct your to people that offer legal assistance.
Gracey
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