TSHITALE – The Tshitale Magistrate's Court sentenced an 85-year-old pensioner, Mrs Nyamukamadi Masindi of Manyima village, to twelve months imprisonment last Thursday.

The incident to which the case is related took place at the Manyima village in the Tshitale area at about 22:00.

The court heard that during the night of the incident, the accused proceeded to the complainant's home. The accused and the complainant live in the same area. On arrival at the complainant's home, the accused started bombarding the complainant with vulgar words.

The court further heard that in the process Masindi accused the complainant of practicing witchcraft. She openly accused the complainant of causing the death of her daughter, who had passed away last year. The complainant reported the matter to the police the following day.

The accused was arrested two days after the incident. She appeared in the same court two days after her arrest. She was not asked to plead during her first court appearance and the matter was postponed to last Thursday, while the accused was released after being warned.

The accused pleaded not guilty, saying she had every reason to believe that the complainant was the one who had bewitched her daughter. The accused was still in custody at the time of going to press, despite the fact that she was given the option to pay a fine of R2 000. The complainant is a 32-year-old woman. She is a daughter-in-law to the accused.