Emono
Classes at Emono Combined School near Oshakati came to a standstill yesterday morning after three cousins started slithering like snakes and channelling the voice of a known villager.
It is alleged that one of the children, a 12-year-old boy, started behaving strangely after killing a snake two years ago when he was in Grade 4. He is now in Grade 6.
The other two children, girls aged 15 and 16 respectively, only started behaving strangely on Thursday afternoon.
When New Era arrived at the school yesterday, half of the school population was standing outside the schoolyard, while the three affected children hummed Josh Groban’s song: “You raise me up”, in tears. Community members also flocked to the school to observe what was happening. The person accused of being behind the alleged “witchcraft” also arrived at the school in the company of her two daughters and grandchildren shortly after the Oshana police arrived at the scene.
According to the boy’s father, Samora Basilius Iitula, who is also a teacher at the school, prayers and traditional help sought by the family have proved futile, because his son’s condition only seems to get worse.
“When that snake was killed he started moving like cattle do and croaking like a frog and hissing like a snake. A voice of one of the villagers started speaking in him,” said Iitula. According to Iitula, the purported witch said through the child that she is dangerous and would make the Iitula family suffer for killing the snake.
Iitula further narrated that in the latest incident, the voice in one of the girls started questioning why she does not greet the alleged witch’s grandchild and why she is the only one given scriptures to read at church.
The children were taken for prayers on Friday and Sunday.
The villager, who is accused of being behind what appear to be demonic fits, was also at the scene yesterday, but denied any involvement, saying she is being wrongly accused.
“I was informed by an informant of the voice in the children and I’m just being accused. I’m not really their neighbour. There are two houses in between. I’ve never argued with the Iitulas, or had had a problem with them,” she said.
She related that her attempts to get the two parties solve the problem amicably proved futile, as the Iitula family refused. She said she went as far as the police and headman to have her name cleared.
Apostle Leonard Ntinda of Destiny Discovering Ministries, who was also called to the scene, said the best way to fight witchcraft is to turn to the church.
He said witchcraft and demonic spirits are real and can only be fought by fasting and prayer, as Jesus had directed.