ONGWEDIVA - A 45-year-old secretary at Onyeka combined school was assaulted by parents for allegedly practising witchcraft.
The school is located in Endudi village in Oshana region.
During a visit by New Era on Wednesday at her homestead in Evale village, secretary Lusia Shilongo (not her real name) narrated that she was beaten by three women, who accused her of bewitching their children who attend school there.
Shilongo said the parents claimed they were told by a pastor that she was bewitching their children.
“They told me their children used to mention my name as a witch manifesting,” she said.
According to Shilongo, parents first approached her at her workstation, demanding answers why she was practicing witchcraft on their children.
“In April, while I was on my way to town with my daughter, I was attacked by three women who hit me with sticks all over my body. They told me they are assaulting me because I was one of the biggest witches at school,” she said as she related her ordeal.
Following the incident, Shilongo allegedly reached out to the school principal to find help but the principal, allegedly refused to get involved in the matter.
“They even threatened to burn the shack where I used to sleep,” she added.
In addition, Shilongo said her 13-year-daughter is no longer free at school because she is always being taunted by her fellow pupils who call her a witch.
“I am no longer free at school. My colleagues are now scared of me since I am being accused of witchcraft,” a distressed Shilongo lamented.
Shilongo said she had opened a case at the Ondangwa police station and the police warned the three women against attacking her.
“I am now staying at Ondangwa because we feel unsafe at that school. I have requested the director of Oshana region to transfer me to another school,” she said.
Her daughter, who witnessed the assault on her mother says she is tired of the bullying and wanton insults she was been subjected to.
“I feel like quitting school. Every day people are taunting me, saying my mom and I are witches,” she bemoaned.
She added that she is no longer concentrating in class and that she had lost friends at school.
Lavinia Shikondjeni, the grandmother of the two pupils Shilongo allegedly bewitched also said she believes Shilongo was a witch.
Shikondjeni claimed she had evidence to back up her claims: “One of my children has been manifesting three times mentioning Shilongo’s name. My granddaughter told me she is always spiritually attacked by Shilongo. We have evidence,” Shikondjeni said.
She added that it is not only her grandchildren who are spiritually attacked by Shilongo, but many other pupils at the school.
“We are tired of her. She must move to a different school,” she added.
Shikondjeni denied assaulting Shilongo but confirmed hearing about Shikongo’s beating by three women.
The headman of Ondudi village, Nabota Shikongo confirmed that the witchcraft matter was reported to his office, but he refused to get involved.
“Shilongo reported to me after she was assaulted. But I referred her to the police,” he added.
Last week, Chief Inspector Christina van Dumen DaFonsech-Shikongo warned pastors and traditional doctors against accusing people of witchcraft.
She said under the Witchcraft Suppression Proclamation, Act 27 of 1933, the punishment for accusing somebody of witchcraft is a five-year jail term and/or a fine.
“Let us refrain from being fake prophets and traditional healers. I am not saying we should not have traditional healers in the villages because traditional healers are part of our culture, but we should not mislead people,” she added.
DaFonsech-Shikongo is famously known for raiding fake churches and exposing those practicing witchcraft as a means of swindling desperate members of society of thousands of dollars.
Caption: Angry... A school secretary was assaulted by parents who accused her of bewitching pupils.
Photo: Festus Hamalwa