Before starting to read the first article presented below, readers should prepare themselves that they’re going to read a weird story. The author recounts a number of murder cases including ritual murders (often committed in a far past, the oldest murder cited was committed nearly 60 years ago) with a dead victim fighting from the grave – hence the article’s title. You will better understand what this means once reading the article’s details.
However, in the first two paragraphs the author mentions the overall number of murder cases (reported, committed, solved, murder trials) committed in Zimbabwe in 2021, 2022 and 2023, specified by province.
According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency at least 40 percent of the 3600 murder cases documented in 2022 were alleged ritual killings.(italics added by the webmaster FVDK).
If true (there is no reason to disbelieve the Statistics Agency but nevertheless I wonder whether there’s a typo here and I will verify the numbers reported) this means nearly 1500 ritual murder cases in 2022 alone!
A quick calculation points out that this means a monthly average of 120 ritually murdered victims, i.e. 4 ritual murders a day. This is very high given the overall population of Zimbabwe, about 16 million people, and it contrasts sharply with another statement of the author.
The author continues: “So widespread are incidents of ritual killing that in recent times barely a fortnight passes without the Zimbabwean media reporting on the heinous act in its various ghastly shades.” (bold letter added by the webmaster FVDK).
Nevertheless it seems safe and justified to conclude that the incidence of rituals murders is high in Zimbabwe even though the reported numbers need a thorough verification.
Be that as it may, a prudent estimate results in a about 300 ‘muti’ murders on a yearly basis, hence one every day – which is still a shocking number.
Concluding, the first article throws a particular light on the phenomenon of the belief in the supernatural in this Southern Africa country. In previous posts I’ve already included some of the ritualistic murder cases mentioned in the article. Some other murder cases are new. A very recent one is the suspected ritual murder of a three-year old girl in Guruve, Mashonaland Central Province. Caroline Makubhwakwa’s mutilated body, with some of the body parts missing, was discovered on January 25 after she got missing on January 17 (see the second article below).
Warning: the articles below contains graphic details which may upset some readers. (webmaster FVDK)
Shocking news from Zimbabwe, as reported by a national news site: ritual murders in the country are on the rise – allegedly.
Whereas the occurrence of ritualistic murders, locally often referred to as ‘muti murders’, is not in doubt – as demonstrated by the numerous cases reported on the present site, you may consult the dropdown menu ‘African countries’ to access all posts on Zimbabwe – it is nevertheless shocking to hear that there is an apparent recent surge in the number of these cruel crimes. As you may know, the organs or body parts ‘needed’ for ‘muti‘ have to be harvested from a living person.
One would think that the Tapiwa Makore murder case and the sentencing to death of his convicted murderers, his uncle and an accomplice, would deter potential perpetrators of muti related murders. According to recent newspaper reports, this is not the case.
A psychotherapist consulted (see the article below) points to mental illness as a significant factor behind these gruesome murders. I’ve often asked myself the same question: What makes someone a ritualistic murderer? Certainly, more research needs to be done as to why people ‘cross a border’ and decide to kill another human being – in a cruel way – as a means to ‘get rich quick’, to have success in business or to gain a certain (often political) position. Is it superstition? Is it a criminal mind? Selfishness? Greed? Or are ritualistic murderers mentally disturbed persons who should be treated for their ‘illness’ in stead of punished – death by hanging or a long prison sentence?
Asking the question means answering it.
Who knows the answer? (webmaster FVDK)
Zimbabwe: Ritual Killings Rise
Is the capital punishment a deterrent for potential ritualistic killers?
Published: February 3, 2024 By: ZimEye, Zimbabwe
A disturbing trend is sweeping across the nation, as reports of suspected ritual murders are on the rise, leaving communities in shock and children as primary targets of these heinous acts.
The superstitious belief that killing individuals in a specific manner, particularly involving torture and processing certain body parts, can create and maintain wealth is contributing to an alarming increase in brutal killings, leaving many with unanswered questions.
The resurgence of ritual killings has prompted concerns and calls for action from various quarters.
Traditional healer Sekuru Banda, dismissing the superstitions, condemns those who propagate such beliefs, emphasizing the need for hard work instead of seeking easy money through horrific means. Banda urges a change in mindsets, highlighting the dangers of people being led astray in pursuit of illusory wealth.
To gain further insights, a news crew sought the perspective of psychotherapist Dr. Mertha Nyamande, who points to mental illness as a significant factor behind gruesome murders.
Dr. Nyamande explains that many offenders, especially those involved in removing body parts, may suffer from mental ailments or psychopathy, challenging the notion that these acts are rooted in ritualistic beliefs. From a legal standpoint, Mr. Moffat Makuvatsine sheds light on how the law addresses ritual killings.
While there is no specific provision for such crimes, they can be treated as murder committed under aggravating circumstances, potentially carrying the death penalty or life imprisonment.
The legal expert emphasizes that any murder proved to have ulterior motives may result in severe penalties. Recent cases, including the tragic death of Tapiwa Makore, have brought the issue of ritual killings to the forefront.
Tapiwa’s killers, his uncle Tapiwa Senior and Tafadzwa Shamba, were sentenced to death for their involvement in the gruesome crime.
However, the scourge continues, with a recent incident in Guruve involving the brutal murder of a three-year-old, whose body was decapitated and burnt, with missing body parts.
The perpetrators of this heinous act remain at large, underscoring the urgency for a concerted effort from law enforcement and communities to address and eradicate the deeply troubling surge in ritual killings.
As the nation grapples with this distressing epidemic, there is a pressing need for comprehensive strategies that include education, mental health awareness, and stringent legal measures to curb the prevalence of such horrific crimes.
Apparently this is exactly what happened in the Assin South District of the Central Region when a mob attacked three men who were suspected of involvement in the beheading of young children. It was later discovered that they were innocent but then the beating was over and the fishermen had to be hospitalized where they are being treated – reportedly they are badly wounded.
Mob justice or jungle justice is always wrong. Let the police and the authorities do their work. The rule of law must always prevail. (webmaster FVDK)
Three fishermen mistaken as suspects in ritual killing case; assaulted by mob
The article presented below is a case of a suspected ritual murder attempt. A word of caution is warranted here: not all details are known yet and the motives and intentions of the suspect, who has been arrested, are also unknown.
It is always important to be vigilant and not to jump to conclusions. The suspicion and related accusations are too serious to accept them without any concrete proof supporting the allegations.
Be that as it may it do not wish to withhold you the report. After all, ritualistic killings do happen in the Central Region of this – otherwise peaceful – West African country. (webmaster FVDK)
Man, 27, arrested for allegedly attempting to kill 11-year-old girl for rituals
Published: January 30, 2024 By: Adom Online, Ghana
Ghana – Senya Beraku is located in the Awutu Senya East District of the Central Region
A 27-year-old man identified as Clifford has been arrested for allegedly attempting to kill an 11-year-old girl for rituals at Senya Beraku in the Central Region.
The young girl, who had been playing with friends around 10:pm, failed to return home, prompting residents to launch a search.
Concerned about her well-being, the case was subsequently reported to the police.
During the search, a resident saw Clifford with the 11-year-old girl in a bush near the beach.
According to the eyewitness, the suspect had a knife pressed against the girl’s neck.
In an attempt to rescue the victim, he said Clifford attached him with the knife. He raised alarm and two other people rush to the scene to apprehend the suspect.
He was handed over to the police and processed to the Awutu Bereku District court.
Investigations are underway to identify possible accomplices.
Meanwhile, the suspect has been remanded and will reappear in court on February 8.
The following is not about a ritual murder or a violent ritualistic act. It gives us an insight into the world of a Yahoo boy and the at times associated belief in the supernatural, the superstition, which also lies at the base of many if not all ritualistic murders. Yahoo boys engage in cybercrime and are notoriously known because of the “419 scam” (named after the Nigerian law’s article making it a punishable crime) or “Nigerian prince scam”.
The reason for including this news article here is to throw some more light on the phenomenon of ‘Yahoo boys’, often mentioned on this site, as well to the pay attention to the general belief in magic by some people. Whether the Yahoo boy in question suffers from a mental illness, as suggested in the article, which may explain his aggressive behavior, is not certain but according to the boy’s father he is a normal person.
It all happened in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
Oyo State is located in located in the South West geopolitical zone of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Federal Republic of Nigeria is divided into six geopolitical zones commonly called zones.
Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones
Ibadan is Oyo State’s capital and its most populous city, and Nigeria’s third (after Lagos and Kano). It’s population is estimated at close to 4 million people whereas in its metropolitan area an estimated 6 million people live, mainly Yoruba but also Igbo, Hausa, Edo and Ibibio from other part of Nigeria.
Oyo State: Yahoo Boy stabs parents as black magic soap fails to yield fortune
Published: January 27, 2024 By: Kalu Idika – NB News Band, Nigeria
Mr Daniel Bamidele, a 20-year-old man suspected to be a Yahoo Boy, has been arrested in Oyo State.
The he was nabbed after stabbing his parents on Thursday, January 25.
The Nation reported that Daniel’s mother, Titilayo, reportedly ran out of their home in Apabielesin area of Ibadan, Oyo State with serious injury, calling for help as her son sneaked into their home and attacked her and his father with a machete.
This attracted bystanders who hurriedly rushed into the house, held Daniel down and dispossessed him of the machete he had used to attack his parents.
Speaking after he had been held down and freed his father from his grip, Daniel explained that he had been earning a living from cybercrime otherwise called yahoo business for some time.
He said his parents were aware that he already built a three-bedroom bungalow from the proceeds of the cybercrime.
Daniel said he had promised that he would get a store for his mother and stock it with goods so she could become a big trader once he recorded a breakthrough.
He added that his mother and elder brother colluded to fleece him of the sum of N2.5 million despite the promise he made to get her a store and stock it with goods.
Daniel said, “I purposely lured my mother from a church programme she was attending, and as soon as we arrived home, I attacked her with a knife and was already inflicting cuts on her body when my father tried to save her from me.
“I attacked my father too because if I had not stabbed both of them, they would have succeeded in killing me.”
Speaking further on his reasons for attacking his mother and father with a knife, Daniel accused his mother of giving him a fake name which rendered useless the magic black soap he had secured from the priest of a white garment church.
He also noted that he made his elder brother his next of kin in his bank documentation but the same elder brother had been trying to play smart with his money.
He said, “I am a 200-level student of LAUTECH (Ladoke Akintola University of Technology) and I have built a three-bedroom bungalow from the money I made from doing yahoo business.
“I am angry with my parents, particularly my mother, for giving me a fake name instead of her real name.
“There is a particular black magic soap that I have been using lately. The soap was given to me by the priest of a white garment church named Mathew.
“I was the one who bought a generator for Pastor Mathew’s church around Ona Grammar School in Ogbomosho.
“The soap was meant to bring me good fortune, but there was the need for me to call my mother’s name into it before it could work.
“My mother told me that her name is Titilayo. But when I called the name into the soap, it did not work. Hence, I got angry and decided to stab her.”
Daniel’s mother, Titilayo, however said she did not collect any money from him.
She said, “I was called on the phone to come pick up my son from school at LAUTECH when he started exhibiting mental illness.
“When we got home, his father brought a native medicine home and gave him to use. He slept off after taking the medicine.
“However, when he woke up, he demanded the whereabouts of his phone and I told him I did not take his phone. He landed several blows on me.
“He is a liar; I did not collect any money from him.”
But Bamidele’s father accused his wife of being in the know of everything pertaining to how his son ventured into yahoo business and how he built a house from the money he made from the fraudulent activity.
“My wife was the one that indulged him (Daniel). She knew when her son started building a house, yet she did not tell me,” he said.
Ibadan: ‘Yahoo Boy’ Stabs Parents Over Failed Black Magic Soap
The internet fraudster, Yahoo boy, Daniel Bamidele who allegedly stabbed his parents
Published: January 27, 2024 By: Leadership News, Nigeria
A 20-year-old internet fraudster, identified as Daniel Bamidele, has attacked and stabbed his parents over his mother’s refusal to reveal her real name, necessary for activating a black ritual soap that was supposed to bring him riches.
The incident occurred in the Bamideles’ Apabielesin home in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, when Daniel, enraged by his mother’s actions, assaulted both his parents with a machete. His mother, Titilayo, managed to escape and raise an alarm, leading to the intervention of bystanders who subdued Daniel and disarmed him.
According to Daniel, his parents were aware of his involvement in cybercrime, from which he claimed to have built a three-bedroom bungalow.
He accused his mother and elder brother of cheating him out of N2.5 million, frustration over his mother providing a false name, which rendered his ritual soap, which he said was given to him by a white garment church priest, ineffective. The soap, he added, was intended to bring good fortune but required his mother’s real name for activation.
“I purposely lured my mother from a church programme she was attending, and as soon as we arrived home, I attacked her with a knife and was already inflicting cuts on her body when my father tried to save her from me,” he said in a report by the Nation.
“I attacked my father too because if I had not stabbed both of them, they would have succeeded in killing me.”
Abamawa State in Nigeria was in the spotlight during my recents postings. For this reasons I consider it appropriate to post the following article, though dating from 2017.
Presenting the article – which was originally published by Sahara Reporters – here does not imply that I accept its contents without criticism or reticence. It’s no small thing, the accusation leveled at her father by the daughter of the traditional ruler is very serious. It is worth noting though that Sahara Reporters is a credible source of information. For that reason I have no hesitation presenting the article below. Hence read it and judge for yourself.
Adamawa State shares its eastern border with Cameroon
Adamawa State is also religiously very diverse. About 50% of the population is Muslim and 40% is Christian while the remaining 10% are adherents of traditional ethnic religions. (Source: Wikipedia.) (FVDK)
Daughter Accuses Adamawa Traditional Ruler Of Attempted Ritual Murder, Bribing Police Commissioner
Published: March 26, 2017 By: Sahara Reporters, New York
Ms. Umar claimed that her siblings – Murtala, Aisha, Abubakar and Aliyu – were hired by her father to carry out the murder.
Fadimatu Umar, daughter of the district head of Umar Ardo in Yola, Adamawa State, has claimed that her father bribed the Police Commissioner in charge of Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) in Abuja to cover up a case of an attempt to kill her.
She alleged that her father planned to use her corpse for a ritual. Ms. Umar claimed that her siblings – Murtala, Aisha, Abubakar and Aliyu – were hired by her father to carry out the murder.
Her siblings, she told SaharaReporters, attacked her in front of the National Identity Card Management Office in Yola, leaving her with a badly damaged arm, which may have to be amputated, according to doctors treating her.
The victim, 28, disclosed that less than a year ago, her stepmother, Bintu, died under mysterious circumstances, which she alleged was the handiwork of her father. The woman’s death, Ms. Umar added, convinced her that she would be the next target.
After hearing noises coming from the front gate of her home, Ms. Umar jumped through her window in fear of her life. She alleged that she was pursued by her siblings, who were armed until they caught up with her in front of the National Identity Card Management Office.
Ms. Umar said she reported the attack to the police, who subsequently arrested Aisha and Abubakar. But Aliyu Umar Ardo, an Air Force officer, and Muitala, who works with Intels Services, escaped arrest by fleeing.
The Air Force officer, she said, later emerged from hiding and wanted to shoot her with a pistol, a fate she escaped through the intervention of family friends. She maintained that Aliyu and Murtala have continued with their plot to kill her in an effort to end the case of attempted ritual killing she reported to the police.
Ms. Umar then fled Yola and petitioned the FCID in Abuja. The petition led to the arrest of Murtala in Calabar.
Their father, along with influential people in Adamawa State, used their connections to free Murtala, who proceeded to bribe Mr. Jonah Mava, Police Commissioner in charge of the FCID, to dump the case.
“They asked us to come back the next day by 10:00 a.m. But when I got there at 10:00 a.m., they didn’t allow me to go inside to see the Commissioner. But when I saw the Investigative Police Officer (IPO) in charge of the matter, he told me that Murtala had been around and that I should go in to see the commissioner,” she said.
Having received encouragement from the IPO, Ms. Umar barged into the Commissioner’s office, where she saw Murtala handing an envelope to the Commissioner of Police.
“The Police Commissioner quickly stuffed it in his drawer and said we should come back at noon,” she said.
Ms. Umar said she suspected that the envelope contained a bribe from her father. Her suspicion became stronger when, a few days later, the Police Commissioner told her to forget the matter because it was a family affair.
“My mind is not at peace because they are still after my life and I cannot step into Adamawa State,” she told SaharaReporters.
She also disclosed that her case with the family would be brought to court in Adamawa State on April 6, but she has been warned not to appear in court because she would be abducted.
“I have been given privileged information that my father has also paid some men of the Directorate of State Security and the Police to look out for me and arrest me either at the airport or anywhere near te court.”, Ms. Umar revealed.
As announced yesterday here follows more information on the reported beheading of a lady for ritual purposes which occurred in Adamawa State capital Yola on January 18. The victim was a woman who was identified by her ex-husband, Mr Auwal Garba. He testified that he divorced the victim in December 2023 after about six years of marriage.
The police has arrested a number of suspects including three employees of the hotel where the crime took place.
The ugly crime triggered the authorities to announce an ultimatum forcing all hotel owners in Adamawa State to install close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras for a better security surveillance in their hotels.
Adamawa State is located in the North East geopolitical zone of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Federal Republic of Nigeria is divided into six geopolitical zones commonly called zones. (webmaster FVDK).
Ritual killing: Adamawa hoteliers directed to install CCTV
Adamawa State Deputy Governor Professor Kaletapwa George Farauta
Published: January 22, 2024 By: Nuruddeen M. Abdallah – 21st Century Chronicle, Nigeria
Adamawa on Monday gave hoteliers operating in the state a six-week ultimatum to install Close-Circuit Television cameras in their facilities for effective security surveillance and safety of patrons.
The state’s deputy governor, Dr Kaleptapwa Farauta issued the ultimatum at an emergency security meeting she held with hotel proprietors in Adamawa.
She warned that failure to unconditionally comply with the directive would be appropriately sanctioned.
Responding, Mr Samuel Adwata, chairman of the association of hoteliers in Adamawa assured that the directive would be complied with speedily.
Monday’s ultimatum followed Thursday’s beheading of a middle-aged divorcee in a hotel room in Yola by a suspected ritualist.
Police in Adamawa have already arrested some suspects in connection with the beheading of the lady.
Also arrested were three employees of the hotel who were on duty at the time of the incident.
The suspected ritualist allegedly took his victim to the hotel where he was lodged as a guest, and thereafter beheaded her and left the scene with her decapitated head.
Confirming the arrests on Friday, a police spokesman in Adamawa, SP Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje, said: “The command has arrested three employees of the hotel and recovered drugs and telephone handset of the lady.
“The drug and handset were recovered at the scene of the crime.
The lady’s ex-husband, Mr Auwal Garba, identified the remains of his estranged wife at a hospital on Friday.
Garba, who confirmed the identity of the deceased to the police, said she was his ex-wife, whom he married about six years ago.
He said the union produced one child but due to some irreconcilable differences, he divorced the lady in December 2023.
It was only a side-remark in another article, focusing the beheading of a woman by criminal gunman in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria. Recently, on January 18, another woman was beheaded for ‘money ritual’ by a man who had lured her into an hotel in Yola, Adamawa State capital.
In my next post I will provide more details of this suspected ritual murder, very likely a case of ‘money ritual’, as these crimes for ritualistic purposes are called in this West African country.
Ritual murders occur frequently in Adamawa State. Recently I have been focusing on ‘money rituals’ in this state in the North East geopolitical zone of the Federal Republic of Nigeria – see my previous posts (e.g. January 16, 2024)
The Federal Republic of Nigeria is divided into six geopolitical zones commonly called zones. (webmaster FVDK)
Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones
Nigeria: Woman beheaded for ritualistic purposes in Adamawa State
(….) In a similar development, the Adamawa Police Command disclosed the killing of a 20-year-old girl in a hotel in the state.
Operatives of the Adamawa Police Command arrested some suspects in connection with the beheading of the lady, who was suspected to have been killed for ritual in one of the hotels in Yola, the state capital.
It was gathered that a suspected ritualist on Thursday, January 18, 2024, around 9:30 pm, took the victim to the hotel where he was lodged as a guest, and thereafter beheaded her and left the scene with her decapitated head.
A gruesome murder for ritualistic purposes took place in Ghana’s Central Region on January 22.
A 3-week-old baby was the innocent victim of superstition, greed and a criminal mind. The baby’s father and two accomplices have been arrested in connection with the alleged ritual murder case, a swift action for which the Ghanaian police is to be commended.
One of the three accused persons is the 21-year-old father of the baby victim. How on earth is it possible that the belief in witchcraft or the power which ritualistic murder is supposed to create can make a person the murderer of his or her own child? How can you believe that sacrificing a newborn baby for ‘money ritual’ can create ‘juju’ ultimately resulting in (more) wealth, power or another desired goal for the perpetrator(s)?
More research is needed to reveal the reasons behind ritualistic murders and related criminal acts. The belief in the power of ritualistic murders is widespread in Ghana, but not exclusively in this West African country, as the evidence presented on this site clearly demonstrates.
Warning: one or more of the following articles contain(s) graphic details which may upset readers. (webmaster FVDK)
A man has been arrested for the murder of a three-week-old baby at Fetteh Kakraba in the Gomoa East District
The suspect is the baby’s father, who is believed to have killed his son for rituals on January 22
The suspect’s friend was apprehended, and he revealed the role he had played in the baby’s disappearance.
The Awutu Bereku District Police Command has arrested a 21-year-old father over the murder of his three-week-old baby.
The suspect, identified only as Bright, is believed to have killed his son for rituals on January 22.
The killing took place at Fetteh Kakraba in the Gomoa East District of the Central Region.
Bright’s friend told Adom news that the child’s mother left the baby to run an errand.
Bright then asked his friend to go and bring the baby from the room without revealing his alleged motives.
The community was alerted, and a search party tried to find the missing baby.
Bright’s friend was apprehended, and he revealed the role he had played in the baby’s disappearance.
By the time they had found Bright, he had allegedly already killed the baby. Bright and his friend have been arrested and are assisting with investigations.
A father who allegedly murdered his 3-months-old baby, his lover and a 17-year-old friend have been remanded by the Awutu Bereku District Court in the Central region.
The suspect, Bright Larvie, was arrested for allegedly beheading his own child for money rituals.
Investigations led to the arrest of his lover, Linda Asare and their 17-year-old acquaintance, Kingsley Yeboah.
The Awutu Bereku District Police Command arranged the suspects before court presided over by Justice Naomi Kuntor.
The court, considering the gravity of the charges and the ongoing investigation, decided to remand the suspects into police custody.
The 17-year-old was sent to a special facility due to his age.
They are set to reappear before the court on February 5, 2024.
Residents in Fetteh Kakraba are still grappling with the shock and horror of such a tragic event.
The Zhombe community in Kwekwe district, in Midlands province, is in shock. The lifeless and mutilated body of a popular teacher was found, with signs indicating a ritual murder. His violent death reminded the community of the reality of ritualistic murders, a feared reality which has never disappeared from the area.
Warning: the articles’ graphic details may upset readers. (webmaster FVDK).
Midlands province – Gruesome ritual murder of a teacher
Midlands province, Zimbabwe
Published: January 24, 2024 By: ZimEye, Zimbabwe
In a shocking turn of events, the tight-knit Zhombe community in Kwekwe district, Midlands province, is grappling with fear and horror following the brutal murder of Fanuel Mwale (57), a dedicated teacher at Rio Tinto High School.
Mwale’s lifeless body, discovered at the Joel Business Centre, bore signs of a gruesome ritual killing, marking an unprecedented and heinous act in Zhombe’s history. His defaced and naked form, with a face skinned and eyes and ears removed, has sent shockwaves throughout the community, prompting a desperate cry for justice.
Local authorities have launched a manhunt for the suspected killers, urging the public to come forward with any information that may lead to their arrest. The family, breaking their silence, revealed that Mwale would be laid to rest on Friday after a postmortem in Bulawayo.
“We are not doing any rituals; we are burying our dear brother, and all we wish for is our loved one to rest in peace. Everything else, we leave in God’s hands,” stated Mr. Shayne Shoko, the family spokesperson.
The ghastly details of the murder have not only instilled fear but have also forced the community to confront the grim reality of ritualistic killings. Zhombe Residents Association, led by Mr. Becare Ndebele, expressed the shock of witnessing such a callous murder, emphasizing the unprecedented magnitude of barbarism.
The community is rallying together, contributing funds to support Mwale’s burial and organizing a peaceful anti-crime march from Joel Business Centre to Zhombe Mission, where Mwale will be laid to rest. Mr. Ndebele affirmed, “As a community, we are contributing funds towards his burial as a way of showing solidarity with the loved ones.”
Chief Gwesela is contemplating a cleansing ceremony, bringing together churches and traditionalists to pray for the area and purify it from such malevolent acts. The late Mwale, a beloved teacher who played a vital role in imparting knowledge to the community, taught History and English at Rujeko Somalala High School before transferring to Rio Tinto High School. The hope now is for justice to prevail, bringing the perpetrators to book and restoring a sense of security to the shaken Zhombe community.
