MT DARWIN – In a deeply troubling account emerging from Chief Chironga’s village, under Chief Dotito in Karanda, a 71-year-old man, Mr. Kosamu Mazemba, has come forward with a disturbing claim. He believes that traditional medicine, or juju, he acquired years ago for farming and gambling has unleashed a malevolent force upon his family. According to Mr. Mazemba, these charms have transformed into goblins, wreaking havoc and causing immense suffering within his household.
Mr. Mazemba, a farmer by trade, explained the origins of his ordeal. Driven by the desire to improve his cotton farming, which he described as a lucrative venture at the time, he sought the assistance of a local traditional healer.
“I went to this traditional healer without my wife and family knowing,” Mr. Mazemba recounted, “and I told the healer that I wanted ‘divisi’ (a charm) for farming. I was given a herbal concoction which I was instructed to bury in the yard and in the middle of the field.”
The results, he said, were immediate and remarkable. “From then on, I started harvesting a lot of cotton, ranging from 15 to 20 bales, surpassing everyone else,” he stated, highlighting the apparent effectiveness of the charm. He further added that during the same period, his maize harvests were equally bountiful, yielding between 17 and 20 ox-carts of produce.
Alongside the farming charm, Mr. Mazemba also sought an advantage in the local card game, njuga. “At the same time that I acquired the farming charm, I also went to another traditional healer seeking a charm for playing njuga or cards,” he explained. “I was given another herbal charm which I was instructed to tie to my upper right arm, under my shirt, when playing njuga. This charm truly made me win against everyone I played with.”
The gambling charm proved equally successful, with Mr. Mazemba claiming to have won significant sums of money. “During that time, I would win money exceeding US$60 at a time,” he stated, emphasising that this was a considerable amount in those days, enough to purchase more than ten cows.
However, these initial successes came with strict conditions. Mr. Mazemba was instructed to adhere to specific taboos related to the farming charm, including prohibitions against taking fire outside or making fire in the yard. Similarly, the gambling charm came with its own set of rules. “The charm was kept in my pocket, and I was instructed that it should not be touched by women,” he explained.
Tragedy struck when Mr. Mazemba inadvertently broke these rules. “One day, I forgot and removed my trousers, leaving the charm in the pocket, and it was touched by my wives who washed and discarded it,” he lamented. “Everything went wrong from there.”
According to Mr. Mazemba, the consequences were devastating. The charms, he believes, transformed into goblins, malevolent spirits that have since been sexually assaulting his daughters. “All the money I earned from farming and gambling didn’t buy me anything lasting,” he confessed. “The cattle I have were inherited from my father, and I bought some with my work earnings. Since the charms went wrong, nothing grows in the fields anymore, and I am now losing at gambling. I was later told that the charms had turned into goblins that sleep with my daughters.”
The first signs of the family’s torment came when Mr. Mazemba’s daughters began experiencing disturbing dreams. He recounted that his daughters were the first to come to him, telling him that they were dreaming of having sexual intercourse with him repeatedly.
The situation deteriorated further when one of his daughters fell seriously ill. “One of my daughters started getting extremely sick, losing weight, as she was dreaming of me having sexual intercourse with her,” Mr. Mazemba explained. “We sought help, and it became clear that my two charms had turned into goblins that were making my daughters their wives.” Tragically, one of Mr. Mazemba’s daughters has since died under mysterious circumstances, a loss he attributes to the goblin infestation.
The presence of the goblins has also had a devastating impact on his daughters’ relationships. “My daughters have been having problems with men because of these goblins that are having sexual relations with them,” he said.
In a desperate attempt to alleviate his family’s suffering, Mr. Mazemba confessed his actions to his wife and children. “I confessed this issue to my family, including my wife and children,” he stated. He then sold a cow to raise funds for traditional healers to exorcise the goblins. “I sold a cow so that these charms could be removed by experts (ana tsikamutanda), who have done so, although we still need assistance,” he explained.
The news team has located the Mazemba family in another village in Mt Darwin, where they are currently receiving assistance in their battle against the goblins.
Mr. Mazemba expressed deep remorse for the suffering he has caused his family. “I apologise to my daughters, my wife, and all my relatives for the problem I brought into this family,” he said. He also issued a warning to others, urging them to avoid seeking traditional charms without fully understanding the potential consequences. “To other fathers, I warn you not to go to traditional healers seeking charms without knowing what they mean because they can turn against you,” he cautioned. “Look at my daughters suffering because of these charms I took. Let’s seek money through work, not through seeking charms.”
One of Mr. Mazemba’s daughters corroborated her father’s account, describing the severe illness she suffered after repeatedly dreaming of him having sexual relations with her. “We eventually approached our father and talked to him,” she said. “He initially denied the issue of his charms but eventually admitted it and apologised to all of us daughters.”
She further revealed the extent of the goblins’ influence, stating that they cause her and her sisters to experience out-of-body experiences, often beginning at 3 AM. “To show our father’s commitment to ending this problem, he sold his cow so that we could get money to travel and solve this problem,” she added. “These goblins have caused us suffering, having sexual relations with us at will, which has caused men to want to leave us. As for mine, he is now coming back because he had left.”
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