Client denies he wanted muti to kill rival chief
A Gumare traditional herbalist and a headman of arbitration from Gantsi Township traded counter accusations before Gumare customary court last week Thursday where the headman demanded a P4000 refund for muti that did not work.
The herbalist said that his disgruntled client, Justice Moseki, 54, had dragged him before the court to demand a refund because he had refused to bewitch and kill a rival headman in Gantsi.
The herbalist, 88- year- old Renyatsane Sarefo, explained that it all started last year in November when Moseki, a former representative of Gantsi in Ntlo ya Dikgosi (house of Chiefs) travelled all the way from Gantsi to seek Sarefo’s services for P4000.
Moseki wanted Sarefo to heal his painful legs and give him muti to cancel his debts and get the deputy sheriff off his back. He also wanted the muti man to “ get rid” of a rival chief, the court heard.
For his part Moseki said, “Somebody recommended him to me. I then called him and briefed him about my situation, which he said he could help me out of. In fact he said he could solve all my problems.”
Moseki then sold a few cattle and drove all the way from Gantsi to Gumare for help.
He said Sarefo gave him muti, which he claimed would defeat his enemies and cure his legs.
“I said that is exactly what I wanted. He then consulted the ancestors and told me that somebody had taken my foot print from sand and locked my life such that I do not become successful in life,” he explained.
To reverse the curse and send it back to the sender, Moseki said he was told to buy Dawn lotion and Vaseline to be mixed with muti.
“He handed them back to me and instructed me to go back, use the dawn and keep him posted,” said Moseki
However much to Moseki’s disappointment the P4000 muti did not work and when he contacted the medicine man, he admitted failure and referred him to his nephew, Bahentse who demanded P5000 for his services.
Sarefo said he negotiated the price with Bahentse down to P500.
“Sarefo gave him P250 and I paid the other half. We drove out of the village and after Tubu village somewhere in the bush Bahentse made me sit under smoking herbs for two days before he released me to drive back to Gantsi only for me to be met by summons from the deputy sheriffs.
“I called Bahentse who had claimed that he was a more powerful medicine man than his uncle and complained that his muti was ineffective,” he said.
It was Moseki’s testimony in court that the uncle and nephew duo ordered him to return to Gumare, which he did.
Sarefo prescribed a bath with needles, nails and porcupine spikes to strengthen Moseki and sent him away.
The medicine man said he was shocked when Moseki returned after three days with more complaints and evil demands.
“He said he had wanted me to eliminate a chief who had taken over his position in the house of chiefs. He asked me to cast a spell to remove “the obstacle.” He wanted the spell to be worked in such a way that when that man sits on his chieftaincy chair, he would die,“ Sarefo told the court.
Moseki vehemently denied ever asking Sarefo to kill anyone, but the muti man maintained that he was flabbergasted by Moseki ‘s demand and told him that he was not a killer and that was when he started to demand a refund.
Presiding over the case was Kgosi Moitshephi Molwelwa who ordered the two men to settle the matter outside court.
“It is hard to put a monetary value muti. It is also hard to prove whether or not it worked. So I am ordering that you go back, arrange a meeting and resolve this matter outside court.” Molwelwa said.
Asked if he would pay back the money, Sarefo said, “The question is if I give him the money, would he give me back the herbs that I used to anoint his body?”
