Another development in the sad saga of the ritualistic murder of the young, 7-year old Tapiwa Makore. It must be said that local authorities and notably the local police acted swiftly after the discovery of the victims’ mutilated body, on September 18. Even President Mnangagwa reacted on the muthi (muti) murder, condemning the heinous crime on September 25 (see my posting dated October 2, 2020).
It is believed by superstitious, wicked people that body parts which have been taken – from a living victim (!) – and processed in a particular way, by a traditional healer or witchdoctor (n’anga), that these ritualistic activities will enhance one’s power or wealth.
There is no place for such superstition and disrespect for human life in the year 2020 (or before that year). The rule of law must apply, suspects should be put on trial and judged by an independent judge. And more prevention should take place: through education.
Warning: The following articles contain graphic details of the cruel murder (webmaster FVDK).
Murehwa ritual murder: Police quiz n’anga
Published: October 16, 2020
By: The Herald, Zimbabwe – Investigations Editor
POLICE have picked up a traditional healer for questioning over the missing head of the seven-year-old Murehwa boy, Tapiwa Makore, suspected to have been murdered for ritual purposes.
Body parts taken in a ritual murder which occurred at Makore Village under Chief Mangwende, would have to be processed in particular ways, the superstitious believe, so that they bring good fortune and riches.
Police started hunting for the traditional healer they believed was implicated in this killing soon after they arrested the two men they suspect were the actual killers.
Only a torso and legs were recovered from the dismembered body, but the head is still missing.
In their investigations, police recovered the head of another child, a 12-year-old, in the same village, but think it may have been exhumed from a grave.
Although the police did not disclose the name of the traditional healer, they confirmed he was being questioned.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said police have established that they had been given a lot of misleading information on the death of the boy and people were hiding crucial information.
“We have realised that some people are not telling the truth and they are hiding crucial information. But we will surely get to the bottom of the matter and the truth will come out,” said Asst-Comm Nyathi.
Tapiwa was allegedly murdered for ritual purposes by his uncle Tapiwa Makore (Senior) who used his own domestic worker, Tafadzwa Shamba (40).
The boy was kidnapped in the family garden in the village.
Shamba, a herdsman, and the boy’s uncle have since been arrested and taken to court facing murder charges.
They now await trial while in remand prison. They were remanded in custody to October 26 in absentia yesterday, as they are still assisting police with investigations.
Meanwhile, police have taken the head of a 12-year-old child recently found in the same village for forensic analysis.
There has been no report of another missing child in that age group, creating room for suspicion that the head could have been exhumed from a grave.
“The other head found in Makore village is now subject to forensic analysis. So far no report of a missing person falling in that category has been received by the police. We are still investigating that matter,” said Asst-Comm Nyathi.
During investigations, Shamba recently told detectives he killed the boy by cutting off the head with a knife in the dead of the night, while the boy’s uncle was holding a torch.
Shamba said after the alleged murder, he carried a black plastic bag containing the head and the dismembered body while his employer, who is the boy’s uncle, carried another bag containing the arms and legs.
He led the team of detectives to the uncle’s homestead where he said he fed the boy, drugged him with kachasu and locked him up in a room for hours.
Shamba said he met the boy’s uncle around midnight and took the boy to a nearby mountain, where they allegedly killed him.
“Around midnight, we opened the door and I carried the boy, who was still in deep slumber to a mountain in the village. Mr Makore carried the knives and the plastic bags. While here (in the mountain), I pressed the boy to the ground and cut off his head with a sharp knife, while his uncle was holding a torch for lighting.
“I also cut off the hands and legs, but we packed the parts in different plastic bags. I carried the one with the torso and the head while Mr Makore carried another one containing the legs and hands,” he said.
At the scene, investigators saw human waste, believed to have been excreted by the boy during the murder.
Shamba told detectives that he cleaned the scene of the blood and set the grass on fire to destroy evidence.
He said while walking back to Makore’s homestead, he felt the load was becoming heavier before dumping the torso near Mr Summer Murwira’s homestead.
While at Makore’s homestead, Shamba said he was instructed to put the head in one of the rooms, which he did.
The following day, Shamba said he dumped the arms and legs at a nearby grave as police investigations were intensifying.
Source: Murehwa ritual murder: Police quiz n’anga
More on the same subject:
Pastor Charles Charamba Speaks Out On Murehwa Ritual Killing
Published: October 14, 2020
By: iHarare, Zimbabwe – Audrey L. Ncube
Gospel musician Pastor Charles Charamba has condemned the killing of children for ritual purposes. The condemnation comes in the wake of the murder of a seven-year-old Murehwa boy, Tapiwa Makore, for ritual purposes, allegedly by his uncle.
In an interview with Hmetro, Pastor Charamba decried the loss of young children as a result of heinous and evil actions for rituals and witchcraft purposes.
“The disappointing aspect in this account of Tapiwa from Murewa is that those men that wanted to be rich, wanted to be rich during this lockdown knowing that everyone in the world has been impoverished.
“They were led by that need to be rich when everything else around the world is stagnant, that is very evil,” Pastor Charamba said.
Pastor Charamba revealed that he is pained by the unfortunate killing of Tapiwa Makore for ritual purposes. He emphasized how the Bible talks about the sacredness of life.
“For me as a pastor, it is very unfortunate that we lost Tapiwa and others of his age but I am saying that life is sacred.
He explained it is painful and unfortunate that these killings are done by people very close to the children. He called on guardians to keep children safe and not to fall under the influence of superstition as it is an enemy of society.
“It is something that is very sad and very unfortunate because it is being done by people who are supposed to be trusted custodians of the children. They abuse their offices and also abuse their relationships with their victims.
“We are hoping that the Almighty guides us so that our society changes and improves when it comes to issues that have to do with trust.
“Above all, the way in which we people want money nowadays is not a good way at all and this is also being caused by what is known as superstition because what people usually regard as worshipping is not actually worshipping,” he said.
Source: Pastor Charles Charamba Speaks Out On Murehwa Ritual Killing
More:
Murehwa Ritual Murder Details Emerge… Victim’s Uncle Wanted To Use Body Parts To Get Rich And For Horticulture Project
Published: October 1, 2020
By: iHarare, Zimbabwe – Sharon Chirisa
Murehwa Ritual Murder Details… Victim’s Uncle Wanted To Get Rich
The senseless murder of 7 year old Tapiwa Makore from Makore Village under Chief Mangwende, in Murehwa, left the whole country with a bitter taste in their mouths.
The whole country is still recovering from the heinous crime and never has been the pursuit of justice been swift and urgent before.
Tapiwa Makore was abducted while he was watching over his family’s garden from thieving monkeys, only for his mutilated corpse to turn up the next day, being ravaged by the Makore neighbors’ oblivious dogs.
A breakthrough emerged in the case, after the cattle herdman, Tafadzwa Shamba was arrested in connection with the murder, eventually leading to Tapiwa’s namesake and uncle, as being the mastermind behind the cold blooded killing.
The police were correct in treating it as a ritual murder, because that is what it turned out to be after further investigations.
Ritual murders are often accompanied by mutilation and the dismemberment of certain body parts which are believed to be the main ingredients for spells, this mostly includes the head, private parts, tongue and sometimes the eyes and limbs.
The reason behind Tapiwa Makore’s murder is more shocking like the murder itself.
According to state broadcaster reports earlier this week, his uncle had him killed because he wanted to increase his wealth and boost his horticulture project using dark magic.
Tapiwa Makore’s other body parts were taken to a yet to be identified witch doctor, who would then perform the spell.
Even more chilling was the fact that Tapiwa Makore Senior stood by, holding a torch for illumination, as Tafadzwa Shamba was murdering his nephew.
An eerily composed Tafadzwa Shamba appeared on TV indicating on the crime scene and narrating the horrific details leading to Tapiwa Makore’s final hours.
Tapiwa Makore’s final hours must have been frightening and lonely as he was detained in the home of the man who was not only a trusted family member, but his namesake as well.
The boy was restrained, drugged using an illicit brew of alcohol and then taken to a mountain in the night where he was decapitated and mutilated.
His uncle Tapiwa Makore Snr , initially denied the accusations but an arrest was made.
Makore and Shamba are currently remanded in custody, awaiting trial on the 13th of October 2020.
The stain of his death is one that will linger on in the psyches of many.
