Manicaland, Zimbabwe: Honde Valey man confesses to killing 9-year old nephew for ritual purposes

Sometimes I don’t believe what I’m reading. Like the story reproduced below. Maybe it’s not true. Maybe it is. Reading more and more details I get increasingly suspicious. Is this man, Jabob Muranganwa, speaking the truth? Is he reliable? is he insane? Jacob confessed killing his brother’s son for ritual purposes. In itself, it is already a story hard to believe although we know that these ugly practices occur in some countries, unfortunately also in Zimbabwe. The recent ritual murder of a 7-year old boy, Tapiwa Makore from Murewa village, in the neighboring Mashonaland East province, sadly illustrates this point. See my previous postings on this crime.

Judge for yourself if the following story could be true, whether Jacob Muranganwa is speaking the truth when confessing murdering his brother’s son. However, it’s now ‘s up to the police the investigate this case, up to the judges to try Jacob if there is reason to prosecute him. Its up to the law.  

Warning: the following article contains graphic details of a ritual murder (FVDK). 

Uncle murders brother’s son

Published: November 27, 2020
By: ManicaPost, Zimbabwe – Tendai Gukutikwa        

A HONDE Valley man recently confessed to killing his nine-year-old nephew for ritual purposes, before going on to harvest the minor’s private parts, arms, ears and eyes after being contracted to do so by his brother and another businessman, The Manica Post has established.

However, reliable sources in the community are saying the man is walking scot-free after making the confession.

Jacob Muranganwa is now said to be facing the full wrath of his late nephew, Zedek Muranganwa’s avenging spirit which reportedly carries him outside during his sleep.

Zedek was murdered last year by his father’s brother Jacob.

The murder came to light when one of the Muranganwa siblings — John —approached acting Chief Mutasa’s court accusing his brothers — James and Abraham — of harassing him and breaching his peace.

John said James and Abraham were accusing him of killing Zedek for ritual purposes. However, things took a dramatic twist when Jacob sprung from his seat to confess to the murder.

“I cannot endure this torment anymore. Every morning I wake up sleeping outside. At first, I thought I was sleep-walking, but when I started seeing Zedek’s image every night, I knew his avenging spirit was behind it all. “Whenever it gets dark, l see the boy’s image. I am the only one who sees him, even when I am with someone else,” confessed Jacob during the court session.

Jacob said he murdered Zedek for ritual purposes and harvested the boy’s private parts, arms, ears and eyes.

Three days later, he hung the lifeless and mutilated body on a tree near the boy’s home to stage a suicide.

Jacob fingered his brother, John, businessman Kwambana and another unidentified businessman, of contracting him to carry out a ritual murder to boost their businesses. John allegedly owns a leisure centre in Honde Valley.

“Sometime last year, my brother John, Kwambana and another businessman asked me to harvest a young boy’s body parts for money-making rituals.

“The next day I saw Zedek coming from school and I lured him to my workplace — John’s grinding mill. I promised to give him some money for his school fees and he obliged. I gave him sadza laced with Maragada pills.

“He ate the sadza and dozed off moments later. I took a hammer and hit him once on the head. Zedek died instantly. I took his body and hid it behind the grinding mill.

“After closing the grinding mill, I cut off the body parts. When John and his partners came to collect the body parts, they placed the body in a refrigerator. It stayed there for three days before they instructed me to hang it near Zedek’s home to make it appear like the boy had committed suicide,” narrated Jacob.

After Jacob’s confession, Chief Mutasa ordered his aides to accompany him to Ruda Police Station as he said criminal issues were beyond his jurisdiction.

However, John died mysteriously a week later.

He was buried last Friday.

The Muranganwa siblings’ relatives who spoke to The Manica Post on condition of anonymity said John was found dead. They said they suspect that Zedek’s avenging spirit might have pushed his Uncle John into an early grave.

On the other hand, reliable sources from the community said Jacob is walking scot free after being released from police custody.

Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Tavhiringwa could neither confirm nor deny the matter and said investigations were underway.

“We have called Ruda Police Station and they could neither confirm nor deny that they are handling such a case. However, word doing the rounds in the community confirms the murder case. We will need to dig deeper with the investigations to get to the bottom of the issues,” said Insp Kakohwa.

Source: Uncle murders brother’s son

Zimbabwe – Murehwa ritual killing: N’anga speaks on Murehwa boy’s murder

The following articles provide a useful insight into the background of (some) ritual murders in Sub-Saharan Africa – in this case in Zimbabwe – notably the involvement of relatives.

To refresh your mind, the articles relate to the gruesome muthi or muti murder of a 7-year old boy in Makore village, Mashonaland East. On September 18 of this year, 7-year old Tapiwa Makore was discovered, severely mutilated with several body parts missing, after he got missing a few days earlier. Soon the police arrested a suspected culprit as well as the man who allegedly ordered the crime, Tapiwa Makore Senior, uncle of the deceased and the elder brother of the victim’s father.

Now the police have arrested a traditional healer (n’niga), Tinei Makore aka Marvelous Muchedzi, a witch doctor who allegedly is connected to the murder. The suspect is also a relative of the murdered boy’s parent. He is also a known tsikamutanda (witch hunter).

Notwithstanding the foregoing, we should not forget that one is not guilty until found guilty in an impartial, transparent trial by an independent judge. That’s the rule of law which is one of the pillars of a free, democratic society respecting the universal human rights. But the same human rights also give the right to live: an unalienable right of both the victim and the countless other victims of ritualistic activities – both in Zimbabwe, in Sub-Saharan Africa and the world at large.

Warning: the following articles contain graphic details of the heinous crime (webmaster FVDK).

The victim of the ritual murder, 7-year old Tapiwa Makore

Murehwa Ritual Killing Latest: N’anga speaks on Murehwa boy’s murder

October 11, 2020
By: Sunday Mail Zimbabwe – Garikai Mazara

THE mystery surrounding the whereabouts of slain seven-year-old Tapiwa Makore’s missing head and hands has deepened.

The traditional healer suspected to be the brains behind the ritual murder is saying it was pure coincidence that he happened to visit the village the week that the boy disappeared and was allegedly murdered.

Tapiwa disappeared on Thursday September 17, only for his torso to be dragged by dogs into a village compound the following morning. 

Tinei Makore, also known as Marvellous Muchedzi, who is a known traditional healer, had left the village the previous day, Wednesday September 16.

The Sunday Mail tracked him down and found him at his compound in the Mvurwi farming area. He confirmed that he had, indeed, visited his home village in the three days preceding Tapiwa’s disappearance and subsequent murder.

He revealed that he spent his three-day stay in the village with Tapiwa Makore Senior, the co-accused in the disappearance and alleged murder of Tapiwa Junior.

“I had been away from my village for slightly more than a year. I got a witch-hunting job to do at Chabwino Farm, in the Shamva area and after I was paid, I decided to go home and catch up with my cousins,” narrated Tinei.

“I left this farm (Mvurwi area) on Saturday and arrived in Makore village Monday. Since I moved out of the village some three years back and there is no one staying in the home which we used to stay, Tapiwa Senior said I could spend my days in the village staying with him.

“On the Monday, we spent time in the village mixing with other folks, trying to catch up. That night I slept at Tapiwa’s home. The following day, I spent almost the whole of it attending to my motorbike which had a puncture. 

“Tapiwa Senior said he was going to work with other villagers on deepening his well, as the water was no longer enough for his cabbages.”

Tinei said he slept at Tapiwa Senior’s home as well that Tuesday evening before bidding him farewell on Wednesday morning as he returned to Mvurwi.

“I stopped-over at Kashiri’s place, Fraser Farm, around the Bindura area, on my way here. I slept there Thursday and arrived back on Friday. Then on Saturday morning, I received a call from the person I had visited at Chabwino, asking me if it was true, the news that was coming from Makore village that a child had been found murdered. 

“That is how I got to know that there had been a murder back in my village. I told him I was back in Mvurwi and had not heard anything. Then the news started circulating on social media and I phoned some relatives back home, only to find out if it was true.”

A self-confessed traditional healer since 1992, “when I was 20 years old”, Tinei said it was happenstance that he decided to visit his village the same week that Tapiwa Junior disappeared and coincidental that he stayed with Tapiwa Senior, the co-accused in the disappearance and murder of Tapiwa Junior.

Chief Superintendent George Mugonda, Officer in Charge at Murehwa Police Station, confirmed that Tinei is a suspect, though they were not sure about his whereabouts.

“We have been informed by the family that a relative, for long known as a traditional healer, visited the village in the days leading to the disappearance of Tapiwa Junior. We are yet to interview him as we don’t know his whereabouts,” the police supremo in Murehwa district said.

At Makore village, Munyaradzi Makore and wife, the parents of the murdered boy, said though they do not have any conclusive evidence linking Tinei to the murder, what they cannot understand is the coincidence around their relative, a known tsikamutanda (witch hunter), visiting at about the same time their son disappeared.

“For the time being we are working with what Tafadzwa Shamba has indicated and further than that, we are not privileged to comment neither can we assume. Just that the coincidence is too much to stomach for us. We will leave the police to conclude their investigations,” said Munyaradzi, the father.

Chief Supt Mugonda said besides Shamba’s confessions, which led to the discovery of the boy’s legs, they have no further information. 

“The co-accused, Tapiwa Makore Senior, is refusing any involvement in the murder. In fact, he is not saying anything apart from his name. So all the information that we have so far, is what Tafadzwa has told us.”

According to Makore villagers, Tapiwa Senior lived in Harare for several years before returning to the village in July this year with a proposal to do a cabbage project. And for effect, there are times he came with his “investors” to have a look at his settings.

The long-term plan was to drill a borehole, with the help of the “investors”. However, after a couple of visits, the “investors” stopped coming to the village for the progress checks. Besides the cabbage nursery, land had been prepared for transplanting the same.

Stuck with more than enough cabbage seedlings, Tapiwa Senior is said to have started selling the seedlings, which apparently found no takers, as the water sources were drying up in the area. He, however, managed to transplant some of them in his garden.

Then Tinei, the traditional healer, paid the three-day visit, arriving on a Monday, departing on a Wednesday, a day before Tapiwa Junior disappeared.

On Friday September 18 morning, a dog dragged a human torso into a nearby village compound.

“What pains us up to now,” narrated Mrs Makore, Tapiwa’s mother, “is that uncle Tapiwa accompanied us on the six-hour party that we had to look for my son. But looking back now, we now understand, he was interfering a lot with the search, saying things that dispirited us. We abandoned the search around midnight, which tallies with the time that Tafadzwa said they killed my son.

Screenshot from the video, click here to listen to the interview

“The following morning, as soon as daybreak, we resumed the search. Then a boy was sent to where we were, advising us to abandon the search and go home. I started crying, I knew that my son was dead. But my thinking then, as I had sent him to the garden, was that he had drowned in a well. I was asked not to go where everyone was going, but asked to go to my mother-in-law’s place.

“This was around 7am. I was only asked to attend to the scene around 3pm when the police had already been called in. My husband, though, had been there. When I got there the torso was covered with a blanket and I did not see anything. The only time I saw it, was when it was put into the steel coffin.”

At the time of his disappearance, Tapiwa Junior was putting on a maroon trousers and a white round-neck jersey with blue stripes. His shoes were found by the garden but the clothes have not been found as yet.

When investigating officers came back after collecting the body, they asked everyone in the village to stand with his wife. All the women were asked to stay in one place and as the men went on a search of each household.

A trousers with blood stains was found in Tafadzwa’s room. Tafadzwa was staying with Tapiwa Senior as his herd boy. On initial and separate questioning, Tapiwa Senior is said to have said that the blood was that of a chicken that he had asked Tafadzwa to kill for their meal. On the other hand, Tafadzwa is said to have said he had slept with a virgin the previous day. When the named girl was asked, she refused having slept with Tafadzwa.

Interestingly, Tinei, the traditional healer, in admitting that for two nights he slept in one of Tapiwa Senior’s spare bedrooms, said that Tafadzwa was not staying with Tapiwa Senior, but was staying at the Katsande homestead, a stone’s throw from Tapiwa’s homestead. He said Tapiwa Senior prepared the Tuesday meal for him.

In accordance with local traditions, Chief Mangwende has ordered that no corpse will be buried in his area without a head.

Thus, the Makores’ appeal to the co-accused is to come clean on the whereabouts of their son’s head so that he can be accorded a decent burial.

“We want our son to finally be put to rest but we are appealing to those who have our son’s head to come clean, there is no need to keep hiding it because the whole world now knows what happened. We want closure on the matter, at least for now,” said the mother.

Chief Supt Mugonda was singing from the same hymn book, pleading with anyone who might have information that might bring the matter to finality to come forward. 

“This issue is no longer a Murehwa issue, but it is now a national issue, so if there is anyone out there who might have any information that might help us locate the boy’s head, please let them come forward.”

Tinei, the traditional healer, said no one, not even the police, had approached him to give his side of the story but has nothing to hide. 

“It is just pure coincidence that I happened to be at the village the same week this murder occurred, otherwise I am prepared to go back to the village to clear my name.”

On the two Tapiwas’ sharing the same name, Mr Munyaradzi Makore said it was pure coincidence that they gave their son the name of his cousin, and that they did not give him the name as an honour to Tapiwa Senior.

“True, we once stayed with him (Tapiwa Senior) in Mufakose for some four months. At the time, I had separated with my wife and during the course of reuniting, we had this son, and we were just elated that we had been blessed with a son, as our first-born was a girl. So we named him Tapiwa. It had nothing to do with my cousin.”

Source: N’anga speaks on Murehwa boy’s murder

More (partly based on the previous article):

Murehwa Ritual Killing Latest: N’anga Speaks Out

Published: October 11, 2020
By: iHarare – Tim E. Ndoro

The investigation into the horrific ritual murder of seven-year-old Tapiwa Makore of Murehwa last month has taken another twist after the n’anga who is alleged to be the mastermind of the plot spoke out. The traditional healer is denying claims that he was behind the ritual murder and is insisting that it’s pure coincidence that he was in Makore Village around almost the same time that Tapiwa was kidnapped and murdered in cold blood.

iHarare has learned from the Sunday Mail – see preceding article (webmaster FVDK) – that Tinei Makore, who also goes by Marvellous Muchedzi, is a well known traditional healer who is related to the victim and the chief suspect Tapiwa Makore senior.

The traditional healer is reported to have visited Makore Village and stayed with Tapiwa Makore Senior. After he left, 7-year-old Tapiwa Makore disappeared the next day and his mutilated torso was discovered a day later.

The police have since confirmed that they regard the n’anga as a suspect but have been unable to locate him so far. Chief Superintendent George Mugonda, the Officer in Charge at Murehwa Police Station, told the publication,

“We have been informed by the family that a relative, for long known as a traditional healer, visited the village in the days leading to the disappearance of Tapiwa Junior. We are yet to interview him as we don’t know his whereabouts,”

Tafadzwa Shamba at the crime scene

However, reporters from the Sunday Mail managed to track down Tinei Makore at this base in Mvurwi, where he insisted that his hands are clean. The traditional healer said that it was mere coincidence that he visited the village a few days before Tapiwa was kidnapped and killed in the ritual killing.

Narrating the events surrounding his visit, the n’anga told the scribes,

“I had been away from my village for slightly more than a year. I got a witch-hunting job to do at Chabwino Farm, in the Shamva area and after I was paid, I decided to go home and catch up with my cousins.

“I left this farm (Mvurwi area) on Saturday and arrived in Makore village Monday. Since I moved out of the village some three years back and there is no one staying in the home which we used to stay, Tapiwa Senior said I could spend my days in the village staying with him.

“On Monday, we spent time in the village mixing with other folks, trying to catch up. That night I slept at Tapiwa’s home. The following day, I spent almost the whole of it attending to my motorbike which had a puncture.

Tapiwa Makore Senior (Image Credit: Zimpapers Digital) 

Tinei also said that the police are yet to get in touch with him over the matter insisting that he is quite eager to clear his name.

“It is just pure coincidence that I happened to be at the village the same week this murder occurred, otherwise I am prepared to go back to the village to clear my name.”

Tapiwa’s family and the police are appealing for information which can aid in the recovery of Tapiwa’s head.

The family is currently unable to bury Tapiwa’s remains because traditional leader, Chief Mangwende decreed hat no corpse will be buried in his area without a head.

Source: Murehwa Ritual Killing Latest: N’anga Speaks Out

Zimbabwe: ritual murder unites nation

The news of the ritual murder of a 7-year old boy, Tapiwa Makore – also see my previous, most recent postings – has shocked the nation. Zimbabwe griefs. The following article ‘Ritual murder unites nation’ is somewhat comforting but the parents’ pain after the mutilated body of their son had been found can never be removed. A gruesome crime has been committed. Unfortunately not the first muti murder in Zimbabwe – let’s hope it’s the last one.

Warning: The articles describing the discovery of the victim’s mutilated body and subsequent developments including the arrest of several suspects contain graphic details of the muthi murder (webmaster FVDK).

Ritual murder unites nation

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa,who is also Zanu PF Women’s League secretary for Information and the party’s secretary for Women’s Affairs Cde Mabel Chinomona console slain Tapiwa Makore’s father, Mr Munyaradzi Makore, during their visit to family’s homestead in Murehwa yesterday. — Picture: Memory Mangombe

Published: October 10, 2020
By: The Herald 

The ritual murder of Tapiwa Makore (7) of Nyamutumbu Village in Murehwa has united the nation as people from all walks of life have joined hands in consoling the family, with some from the Diaspora contributing towards funeral expenses.

The boy’s uncle, Tapiwa Makore (Senior) (57), is accused of murdering his brother’s child with the help of his herdsman, Tafadzwa Shamba.

Both have since been arrested and remanded in custody on murder charges as police continue their hunt for the witchdoctor accused of processing body parts.

The witchdoctor’s name has not been revealed.

The child had his head, arms and legs cut off in the ritual killing after being kidnapped and drugged.

A lot of the reaction has been directed at witchdoctors who instigate ritual murders and process body parts, with most wanting them hunted down and punished as severely as the actual killers

Yesterday, the Zanu PF Women’s League led by secretary for Women’s Affairs Cde Mabel Chinomona and Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa paid condolences to the Makore family and donated groceries and cash.

Church members, the local leadership, relatives and members of the community have since the death of Tapiwa been visiting the Makore homestead for prayers and to comfort the family.

The Zanu PF Women’s League expressed dismay that instead of working hard to be successful, some people were turning to ritual murders in a superstitious attempt to get rich.

Cde Chinomona said the Women’s League and the whole nation had been traumatised by the incident and would not rest until justice was served.

She said the boy’s death was no longer a Makore issue as it had affected the whole nation, including President Mnangagwa.

“The death of Tapiwa is an eye-opener. We now know there were murderers in the community and this will put an end to the rituals. The nation is in pain. Everywhere people are affected and waiting for justice to be served. The death of Tapiwa has shown that some people are engaging in evil acts to get rich.

“Let us work hard to be successful. We cannot destroy the nation because of greed. As women, we are going to pray for justice to prevail. I am grateful that women have come in large numbers including members of different churches to console Tapiwa’s mother,” she said.

Cde Chinomona said they would unite as the Women’s League and march against ritual killings to ensure justice is delivered.

“Witchdoctors who are promoting murder should be arrested, shamed and exposed,” she said.

Minister Mutsvangwa said as a mother, she knew how it felt to lose a child and that experience was not easy to get over.

“As a mother I know how it feels. After all the nine-month pregnancy experience, labour pains, the sacrifice one does for the upkeep of the child only to the lose the son to murder. What has happened to our community. What has happened to our culture? Where is humanity? We need to respect life. Let us work hard than rely on rituals to succeed,” she said.

She commended churches that have been comforting the family, saying such emotional support was vital during these difficult times.

Minister Mutsvangwa urged people to value the sanctity of human life.

Chief Mangwende said they were waiting for justice to prevail.

“In Murehwa we have declared that we do not want to see murderers walking freely. Justice should prevail,” he said.

A relative, Mrs Rufaro Musupayi, said the family was overwhelmed by the support it was receiving from many people including those in the diaspora.

“We have received messages and money from people in the diaspora, some of whom we are not related to. Some have also pledged to send Tapiwa’s siblings to school. The emotional and financial support has gone a long way in helping us as family,” she said.

Tapiwa’s father Mr Munyaradzi Makore said the support from the nation had strengthened the family.

“Churches, individuals, politicians and members of this community have really helped us. We feel we are not alone. We are however still waiting for the head so we can proceed with the burial. We will wait until the head is found,” he said.

Apostolic Faith Mission, Pastor Mollete Machese Gunda said although fear and anger had gripped the community, churches were there for emotional support.

“We have to remember that God is with us and he will guide us through this difficult time just as he did to Stephan when he was stoned to death,” she said.

Source: Ritual murder unites nation

More:

New Details Emerge On Murewa Ritual Murder

Published: October 5, 2020
By: Pindula News, Zimbabwe

Tafadzwa Shamba who confessed to killing Tapiwa Makore, a 7-year-old Murewa boy has led police to the recovery of the boy’s legs in a pit latrine.

Tapiwa was murdered two weeks ago in a suspected ritual case and police have so far arrested Mashamba and Tapiwa’s uncle Tapiwa Makore senior.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police is still searching for other body parts including the head which is believed to have been given to an alleged sangoma who is still at large. Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi told the Daily News on Sunday:

The ZRP confirms that in the on-going investigations in connection with the gruesome murder of…Makore, two legs were recovered in a pit toilet near a village football pitch in Murewa on October 2. Police are yet to recover the skull and hands.

The suspect, Tafadzwa, led to the recovery of the legs. He indicated that he dumped the legs in the toilet, which led to it being dug up.

Cases of child murder which are allegedly for ritual purposes have been on the rise in the country prompting President Mnangagwa to raise concern over the murders.

Source: New Details Emerge On Murewa Ritual Murder

More:

Herdsman Reveals Gruesome Details Of Murehwa Boy Ritual Murder

Murder suspect Tafadzwa Shamba (40) demonstrates how he killed seven-year-old Tapiwa Makore during an inspection in loco at Makore Village under Chief Mangwende in Murehwa (29/09/2020). — Picture: Memory Mangombe

Published: September 30, 2020
By: Pindula News, Zimbabwe

Tafadzwa Shamba, a Murehwa herdsman who was recently arrested over the ritual murder of Tapiwa Makore (7) at Makore Village in Murehwa, on Tuesday told detectives what happened from the time they kidnapped the boy to the day after the murder.

Shamba was taken by detectives to the garden where he kidnapped the boy allegedly under the instructions of the boy’s uncle, Tapiwa Makore (Senior).

He also led police to the uncle’s homestead where he said he fed the boy, drugged him with kachasu (an illicit beer brew) and locked him up in a room for hours. He said:

I went to the kitchen hut and brought the boy sadza and dried fish. I washed his hands before giving him the food. After eating, I went to Mrs Katsande’s homestead where I bought five litres of illicit brew (kachasu).

I drank the beer to gather courage. I also put a bit of sugar into the brew and offered it to the boy who took it until he got drunk and slept. I then locked him up in the room before going back to Mrs Katsande’s homestead for more beer.

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 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.

… The bag was now heavier and dogs were barking. I had to quickly drop the torso and proceeded with the head.

Shamba said Makore instructed him to put the head in one of the rooms, but the following day, he dumped the arms and legs at a nearby grave.

Tapiwa Makore (Senior), the murdered boy’s uncle was also arrested over Tapiwa Makore (Junior)’s murder.

Source: Herdsman Reveals Gruesome Details Of Murehwa Boy Ritual Murder

More:

Murehwa Murder Suspect Arrested

National police spokesperson Paul Nyathy

Published: September 25, 2020
By: Pindula News, Zimbabwe

Police on Wednesday arrested a Murehwa herdboy, Tafadzwa Shamba, on kidnap and murder charges following the discovery of a mutilated body of a seven-year-old boy in the area last week.

Shamba and two suspects who are still at large allegedly kidnapped and murdered Tapiwah and harvested his body parts which they sold for US$ 1 500 for ritual purposes (see article below, dated September 21, 2020 – webmaster FVDK).

In a statement on Wednesday, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi gave details of the progress of investigations. He said:

It is alleged that Tafadzwa Shamba, a herd boy in the same village with the victim, worked with the other suspects to waylay the victim at a garden. They took him to a mountain where they kept him for the whole day.

They then killed him at night and one of the other suspects, who is from Juru Growth Point, took away the head leaving the herd boy with the other body parts after promising to give him US$1 500 on coming back.

Tapiwa was abducted while on his way to a garden last week where he had been sent by his mother.

His mutilated body was found being eaten by dogs a few days after his enforced disappearance.

Source: Murehwa Murder Suspect Arrested

More:

Ritual Killings Blamed For The Death Of A 7 Year Old Murehwa Boy Whose Body Was Found With Body Parts Missing

Published: September 21, 2020
By: Pindula News, Zimbabwe

In an unfortunate incident that occurred in Makore Village under Chief Mangwende in Murewa, a 7-year-old boy’s body was discovered with his head, neck, both legs and arms hacked off, The Herald reports.

The body was discovered when a neighbour woke up to find his dogs eating the remains of a human being which turned out to be the body of the missing 7 year old boy who had gone missing the previous day.

ZRP National Spokesperson Assistant Commisioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident and said:

Police in Murewa are looking for perpetrators behind the gruesome murder of a 7-year-old boy who went missing on September 17, 2020 after he had been sent to the garden by his mother.

The body of the boy was later discovered on September18 2020 being eaten by dogs with the head, arms and legs chopped off for suspected ritual purposes. We urge parents and guardians to always be on the look out of their minors and prioritise their safety, at all times. Investigations into this matter are in progress.

According to sources privy to the developments, The minor had been sent to look after the garden by his parents with a lunchbox of food and a bottle of water, when the parents went to the garden later to water the garden they saw the lunchbox and the bottle of water but the boy was missing.

They asked his friends about his whereabouts and they said he had been swimming in a nearby pool. The parents searched for him and they could not find him and called for a search party that could not locate the boy. His body was discovered the next day when their neighbour woke up and discovered his dogs eating the remains of a human being.

Source: Ritual Killings Blamed For The Death Of A 7 Year Old Murehwa Boy Whose Body Was Found With Body Parts Missing

More:

JUST IN: Boy (7) murdered, body parts missing

Published: September 21, 2020
By: The Herald, Zimbabwe – Victor Maphosa  

A 7-year-old boy from Makore Village under Chief Mangwende in Murewa was allegedly murdered last week in a suspected case of ritual killing.

Reports are that the boy was sent by his parents to look after the garden on the morning of September 17.

His parents went to the garden later to do some watering and found that their son was missing.

The parents enquired on the whereabouts of their son from other children who were also looking after their gardens nearby.

They were told that their son has been seen swimming in a nearby pond.

The boy’s parents went to the pond but could not find their son.

They then alerted some villagers and a search was conducted until midnight but they could not find him.

On September 18, in the morning, a day after the boy went missing, it is reported that a neighbour woke up and discovered his dog and its puppies feasting on human body parts in his yard.

He then alerted the boy’s parents and a report was made to the police.

The body had its head, neck, both legs and arms hacked off.

Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said investigations into the matter are in progress.

“Police in Murewa are looking for perpetrators behind the gruesome murder of a 7-year-old boy who went missing on September 17, 2020 after he had been sent to the garden by his mother.

“The body of the boy was later discovered on September18 2020 being eaten by dogs with the head, arms and legs chopped off for suspected ritual purposes. We urge parents and guardians to always be on the look out of their minors and prioritise their safety, at all times. Investigations into this matter are in progress.”

Source: JUST IN: Boy (7) murdered, body parts missing

Zimbabwe: one week after the ritual murder of 7-year old Tapiwa Makore

A too familiar story. A relative involved in the ritual killing of a young boy in Zimbabwe. As it appears, the eldest brother of the deceased boy’s father was the one who ordered an accomplice to murder his nephew. As more news emerge about the behavior of the prime suspect after his nephew was missing and his mutilated body was found, the story sounds unbelievable; yet it is the harsh truth. When reading the details of the muti murder of 7-year old Tapiwa Makore it is hard to believe that this indeed happened in real life. This is the 21st century.

As a result, the community which was struck with the news of the heinous crime is left paralyzed with anger and with fear. Parents watch their children every minute of the day and when their kinds go to school they want them to return early, before it gets dark.

Makore Village is in shock.

Warning: the following article contains graphic details of the muthi murder (webmaster FVDK).

The murdered boy’s family a week later

The victim, 7-year old Tapiwa Makore

Published: October 3, 2020
By: Timeye, The Truth & The Future

Driving to Makore Village under Chief Mangwende in Murehwa, children no longer talk to strangers no matter any amount of cajoling. The message has sunk, don’t talk to strangers lest you meet Tapiwa’s fate.

The recent ritual murder of Tapiwa Makore, has instilled fear among the young and elderly villagers alike who have since strongly warned their children against entertaining strangers, especially motorists.

In the same week, another human head was also found in the village and the identity is yet to be established.

The Herald struggled to get to the Makore homestead as most people, especially children, coming from school were reluctant to assist with directions.

Luckily a visibly drunk man came to the rescue and offered to lead The Herald team to the homestead.

On arrival at the homestead, most villagers were angry, emotional and debating as to the possible reasons of the murder. This was complete abomination to them. They were aghast at the manner in which the remains of the boy had been discovered after he had gone missing.

A torso believed to be his was found being dragged by a neighbour’s dog. The head and other parts of the body were missing. Arms and legs were later found following a spoor.

That was not all. The dogs had also dragged a human head, which, according to medical practitioners, belongs to a person who should be around 12 years old.

Detectives questions Tafadzwa Shamba over a pair of blood-stained trousers found at his employer’s homestead during investigations

The boy’s uncle Tapiwa Makore (senior) and his employee Tafadzwa Shamba have been arrested in connection with the murder.

What surprised the community was the efforts the uncle had put in the search of the boy once he had been declared missing. He had been leading in the search and was a pillar of strength to his young brother constantly assuring him that they will find the boy alive.

He even had the temerity to chastise his young brother’s wife for being careless in Tapiwa’s disappearance. But alas! After playing a leading role in the search the elder brother to the boy’s father turned out to be one of the chief murder suspect.

Blood-stained clothes were found in one of his rooms. Tapiwa Makore (senior), had earlier commendably assisted at the funeral. At one point, he reportedly got emotional, accusing the boy’s mother Ms Munyori of being irresponsible as mystery on the whereabouts of the boy deepened.

As fate would have it, his luck ran out. Some relatives assigned to clean his house stumbled upon a pair of trousers and a shirt stained with blood. They immediately tipped off detectives who were all over the village investigating the boy’s murder.

Circumstantial evidence pointed to him as the architect of the crime who had instructed Shamba to kill the boy.

In an interview, the boy’s mother broke down narrating how her brother-in-law had harassed her threatening to beat her up at the funeral for failing to account for the boy.

“He once threatened to beat me up, accusing me of being irresponsible and failing to account for my missing son. You can even ask my husband and other relatives who heard him threatening me, but to my surprise he is the one who was picked up by the police for murder,” she said sobbing.

Equally at a loss of words, was the boy’s father Mr Munyaradzi Makore. He said his brother had been a pillar of strength during the search and he remained optimistic that the boy would be found alive.

“It’s difficult to believe that my own brother who had been with me throughout the search and funeral, turned out to be a suspect in the murder case. We were together on Thursday night (September 24) searching for my son. He would strengthen me, with words of hope that the boy could be alive somewhere,” he said.

When asked what could have led to his brother allegedly killing his nephew, Tapiwa’s father was at a loss of words. He too was surprised because there was no bad blood between the two families as they enjoyed cordial relations as evidenced by naming the boy Tapiwa after his elder brother.

On burial arrangements, Mr Makore (junior) said DNA samples had been taken from the boy’s mother and they were initially told to wait between two and three weeks for the results.

“We have paid US$330 and we hope to pay the balance on collection of the results. The results will determine the burial date.

“If the torso is indeed his, then we may proceed to bury the available parts of the body, but it is strange. Burying a headless body?” the boy’s father said shaking his head.

A villager Mr Summer Murwira was the first to discover the torso that was being dragged by his dog at his homestead last Friday morning.

“Early Friday morning, I was brushing my teeth outside the house when a female relative came telling me that Tapiwa was missing. Just after she left, I saw our black puppy dragging a torso, but we could not easily tell whose it was. However, I could tell that it was indeed a mutilated human body. I called other villagers and we resolved to send a message to the Makore family who were searching for their missing child.

“When the relatives came, the trail left by the puppy led us to the spot where the torso had been dropped. We then noticed blood spots and immediately reported the matter to the police,” said Mr Murwira.

But what kind of boy was Tapiwa and how did he relate to his peers in the area? Tafadzwa Shamba narrates how he entered a kitchen hut at Tapiwa Makore’s (senior) homestead to collect food for the boy

The Herald visited Nyamutumbu Primary School where he was a Grade One pupil. Staff at the school described him as a well-behaved, intelligent and highly promising pupil who had a bright future. They just could not understand how his life had been cut short and for what reason as he was an exemplary pupil

“Tapiwa was a promising young boy, dedicated to school work, well-behaved and respectful. It’s sad that he passed on at such a young age. His attendance at school was excellent considering that most children in these rural communities absent themselves for no good reason.

“He was very social and he would interact well others here at school,” said one of his teachers.

Sources at the school said the headmaster had since written to the district education offices seeking authority to end lessons early to allow pupils to walk home before sunset.

“We have some pupils who walk long distances for up to three hours to get home. I understand our headmaster has since written to the district office requesting to be allowed to end lessons at 3pm daily. “This arrangement will ensure all children get home early for security reasons,” said a source.

The Herald also tracked down the alleged murderer’s relatives, the Shamba family. In an interview at Chinyani Village in Murehwa, Mr Gaylord Shamba, younger brother to Tafadzwa’s late father, said the family was engaging the Makore family.

“We engaged the Makore family through our councillor and they welcomed us. They understood the fact that one deviant person cannot spoil the whole clan. We attended the funeral and provided loads of firewood and some maize meal. That is not enough, we intend to continue assisting until burial,” he said.

Mr Shamba said the family was ready to compensate the Makore family.

Source: Murdered Boy’s Family A Week After

Murewa ritual killing: President Mnangagwa decries evil act (Zimbabwe)

The cruel ritualistic killing of 7-year old Tapiwa Makore in Zimbabwe inspired the president of this country, Emmerson Mnangagwa, to raise his voice against the killing of children for ritualistic purposes – because the gruesome murder of the young boy is not the only ritual killing case in his country. The police found evidence on the crime scene that more children had been murdered, possibly by the same suspect, Tafadzwa Shamba, a herdsman in the same village with the Makores.

Mnangagwa’s condemnation of ritual murders triggered the anger of an opposition politician, Paul Nyathi, who accused President Mnangagwa of hypocrisy. He accused Mnangagwa of several politically motivated murders. Moreover, while Mnangagwa was Minister of State for National Security – under then President Robert Mugabe – the 5th Brigade of the Zimbabwe National Army killed thousands of civilians in the Matabeleland region. These massacres, known as the Gukurahundi, lasted from 1983 to 1987, and resulted in an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 deaths. 

Warning: the following articles contain graphic details of a cruel crime (webmaster FVDK).

Murehwa ritual killing: President decries evil act

The late Tapiwa Makore

Published: September 26, 2020
By: The Herald, Zimbabwe  

President Mnangagwa yesterday condemned the killing of children for ritual purposes, saying the Government was concerned with all forms of threats and abuse to children and vowed to end violence against them.

The condemnation comes in the wake of the murder of a seven-year-old Murehwa boy, Tapiwa Makore, last week for ritual purposes, allegedly by a herder.

“I am disturbed by the loss of young children as a result of heinous and evil actions for rituals and witchcraft purposes. These cold-hearted acts of murder have no place in our country.

“The stakeholders in our criminal justice system must speedily and strongly deal with perpetrators so that this evil trend is expunged from our society,” said the President during a virtual Junior Cabinet meeting at State House yesterday.

Murder suspect Tafadzwa Shamba

Tapiwa was looking forward to resuming classes on November 9, and rejoining his peers at Nyamutumbu Primary School in Murehwa after a six-month hiatus.

Like millions of other pupils across the country, particularly his Grade One fellows, he was raring to go as the phased reopening of schools, which comes into effect on Monday, puts an end to their daily routine of playing house, horseplay and hopscotch, in-between errands as may be assigned by their parents.

The seven-year-old Tapiwa was his parents’ gift from God as was reflected in his name. With school lessons temporarily shelved owing to Covid-19, the bubbly boy, like the gift he was, often helped out his mother in tending to their vegetable garden.

In the morning of Thursday September 17, as she has always done, Tapiwa’s mother prepared food for him and set him off on the excursion to keep stray livestock away from their vegetable patch.

She and her husband were set to relieve him later in the afternoon.

However, fate had decided otherwise. It was set in the stars that they would never see their beloved son alive again, neither were they to bury him intact.

Unbeknown to them, the Makore family had set in motion a chain of events that would leave the serene community of Makore Village in Chief Mangwende’s domain of Murehwa District, dumbfounded, distressed and in deep mourning as a dark cloud of both grief and fear engulfed them.

Tapiwa’s story reads like a horror movie where death is traded with such abandon that the grisly ceases to be abnormal with the Grim Reaper, in his dark shrouds, hooded robe and scythe daring the living as they dare each other.

Bereft of words, the community fretfully tries to come to terms with what could have befallen their child; for in African societies, a child belongs to all. No one knows what he went through, and how the Grim Reaper tore through his fragile heart to “reap” his soul. All else pointed to ritual murder.

When Tapiwa’s parents got to the garden around 3pm, where they expected to see him as usual, they were confronted by his “last meal”, untouched, and his pair of shoes. Their boy was nowhere to be seen.

The parents’ enquiries on the whereabouts of their cherished son from other children, who were also keeping watch over their gardens revealed that Tapiwa had last been seen swimming in a pond close-by.

A visit to the pond, however, did not yield any result. Suddenly an air of fear filled them as they alerted other villagers of the missing boy, resulting in an immediate search of the area.

Nonetheless, the search, which was immediately conducted into the wee hours of the night and the morrow, yielded nothing; except more pain, anxiety and regret. By then, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) had joined in the search.

The following day, Friday September 18, villagers reported that a neighbour had woken up to an enigmatic sight in his yard. He discovered his dog and puppies feasting on human organs. The body had its head, neck, both legs and arms hacked off.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said of the discovery then:

“The body of the boy was later discovered on September18, 2020, being eaten by dogs with the head, arms and legs chopped off for suspected ritual purposes.”

With the police leaving no stone unturned, one of the suspects, Tafadzwa Shamba was nabbed on kidnap and murder charges, while his two alleged accomplices are still at large.

Shamba, a herdsman in the same village with the Makores, and his co-conspirators ostensibly allegedly waylaid the boy from his family’s garden, took him to a mountain and detained him for the entire day.

The herdsman was promised US$1 500 for his part in the kidnap and subsequent gruesome murder.

However, before the envisaged windfall, Shamba’s luck ran out, as the blood-stained clothes he wore on the day he allegedly committed the crime betrayed him.

Naturally, the discovery of Tapiwa’s dismembered body, and one of the suspects’ subsequent arrest would have put closure to the sad story, as some questions could have been answered.

That was not to be. More human body parts were found strewn all over the place including a skull. However, this turned out not to be Tapiwa’s.  This discovery with all the trappings of the macabre, led to more questions than answers.

Could there be a conspiracy to wipe out children from the area for ritual purposes? Has the area’s Grim Reaper made a date with the Makore villagers for a ransom as an appeasement for some ill-informed engagement from the past?

Villagers and the police unearthed more than they could chew. Among the skulls found, was one that looked so old it could not be linked to the victim’s; the other one was still blood-stained, but with the eyes gorged out and missing jawline. The chin and tongue were also missing.

Also discovered were a fire-singed child’s palm, a jaw with seven lower teeth, and other body pieces.

It is not clear how many other children could have met their fate in Tapiwa’s manner, which has left a cold chill running through the villagers’ spines.

Tapiwa’s relatives are convinced that the discovered fresh skull could not be their “son’s”.

Mr Isaac Makore (57), the deceased boy’s granduncle, said the newly discarded skull they chanced on was not his grandnephew’s, but that of a 12-year-old, yet to be identified child’s.

As a result of the uncertainty, Tapiwa is still to find rest, as burial arrangements have been put on hold pending further investigations.

“My grandnephew went missing, and we later discovered his torso with other organs, like the head, hands, and legs missing. We also discovered separate sets of teeth; and two separate skulls, one with lower teeth and the other one with upper teeth but without a tongue.

“Indications are that the other skull belongs to a yet to be identified older child, and not our ‘child’s’, Mr Makore said.

However, the boy’s privates were untouched.

Following Tapiwa’s grisly murder, and the unearthing of more mutilated body parts, villagers are now living in fear of death merchants who could be on the prowl in the area, seeking children’s hearts for ritual purposes.

Tapiwa’s uncle, Mr Simbarashe Makore (38), said it is believed that there could be many children, although not from their area, who could have been killed for ritual purposes, and had their bodies dumped in the proximity of their village.

“We are now living in fear. Our prayer is that the police apprehend the culprits and rid our area of this menace. Who knows, after our children, they may also come for us, their parents. How could someone kill a fellow human being in such cold blood just like that?” he bemoaned.

Ms Easther Makore (52), Tapiwa’s aunt concurred, saying the police should not leave any stone unturned and get to the bottom of the issue as it was mind-boggling that so many human organs could be discovered hard upon her nephew’s demise.

Mr Summer Murwira (78), a nephew to the Makore family, at whose homestead Tapiwa’s dismembered body was found, said it (body) was bloodless when it was discovered.

Another villager weighed in, saying: “I do not think the place the torso was found is where he was murdered, otherwise there would have been blood stains all over. This is a serious matter.

“We now fear for our children. No one even wants to attend to the gardens anymore, or guard them against roaming livestock since the incident occurred.” —  (Additional reporting by Kingstone Mapupu — Kwayedza).

Source: Murehwa ritual killing: President decries evil act

President Mnangagwa’s remarks provoked an outcry from Paul Nyathi, a Zimbabwean opposition politician, which is interesting to note (webmaster FVDK).

“Mr President, All Murders Must Be Condemned And Stopped”

President Emmerson Mnangagwa 

Published: September 26, 2020
By: ZimEye The Truth & The Future – Paul Nyathi

President Mnangagwa who himself is accused of several politically motivated murders and abductions yesterday condemned the killing of children for ritual purposes, saying the Government was concerned with all forms of threats and abuse to children and vowed to end violence against them.

The condemnation comes in the wake of the murder of a seven-year-old Murehwa boy, Tapiwa Makore, last week for ritual purposes, allegedly by a herder.

While it is noble for Mnangagwa to condemn the killings of innocent children the President himself has a history of killing which taints his otherwise noble call. Zimbabweans have through the years called on Mnangagwa to speak to the murders attributed to his authority and call for an end to the wanton killing of citizens for political purposes as he has done on the killing of children for ritual purposes.

“I am disturbed by the loss of young children as a result of heinous and evil actions for rituals and witchcraft purposes. These cold-hearted acts of murder have no place in our country.

“The stakeholders in our criminal justice system must speedily and strongly deal with perpetrators so that this evil trend is expunged from our society,” said Mnangagwa during a virtual Junior Cabinet meeting at State House on Friday.

While Mnangagwa was Minister of State for National Security, the 5th Brigade of the Zimbabwe National Army killed thousands of civilians in the Matabeleland region. These massacres, known as the Gukurahundi, lasted from 1983 to 1987, and resulted in an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 deaths.

More recently military officials – many behind his rise to power – have been accused of benefiting from the rich Marange diamond fields in eastern Zimbabwe, with reports of killings and human rights abuses there.

His ruthlessness, which it could be argued he learnt from his Rhodesian torturers, is said to have been seen again in 2008 when he reportedly masterminded Zanu-PF’s response to former President late Robert Mugabe losing the first round of the presidential election to long-time rival the late Morgan Tsvangirai.

The military and state security organisations unleashed a campaign of violence against opposition supporters, leaving hundreds dead and forcing thousands from their homes. Tsvangirai then pulled out of the second round and Mugabe was re-elected in a one man race.

On August 1 2018, the Zimbabwean army shot at protestors killing at least twelve and injuring many others. The government of Mnangagwa again denied involvement. A commission headed by Mohlante found the army responsible for the killings. The commission made recommendations and all were ignored by Mnangagwa’s military government. None of the recommendations were carried out.

In January 2019, more protestors were killed by the same army in cold blood. Scores of women were raped, some in front family members. A brazen Mnangagwa, would later demand to see graves of those killed and the women raped should come to him that he can believe that such atrocities took place at the hands of the army he directs. Many Zimbabweans were shocked and hurt by such reckless statements from a heartless president.

Source: Mr President, All Murders Must Be Condemned And Stopped

Zimbabwe: full details of Murewa ritual killing revealed

Recently, on September 24 I reported on the muthi murder of a 7-year old boy, Tapiwa Makore, in Zimbabwe. It appeared that a relative was involved, not uncommon in ritualistic murder cases. The police arrested the boy’s uncle and discovered more gruesome facts. 

Warning: the following articles contain graphic details of a ritual murder (webmaster FVDK)

The brutally murdered boy, Tapiwah Makore at a family gathering

Full Details Of Murehwa Ritual Killing Revealed…Tapiwa’s Uncle Was Holding The Torch

Published: September 30, 2020
By: iHarare – Tim E. Ndoro

Murehwa Ritual Killing Suspect Tafadzwa Shamba
(Image Credit: Herald/Zimpapers Images). 

Police investigations into the ritual killing of a 7-year-old boy in Murehwa have uncovered all full gory details of how the murder occurred. 

Tafadzwa Shamba, the herdsman who has been arrested for the murder spilt the beans and told police detectives the full sequence of events which occured leading up to the murder of young Tafadzwa Makore of Makore Village under Chief Mangwende.

During an inspection in loco on Tuesday, Shamba took the detectives through the whole gory process and revealed that they had got the young boy drunk first in order to kill him. The 40-year-old herdsman said that Tapiwa’s uncle, also called Tapiwa Makore, held the torch to provide illumination, while he killed the boy by cutting off his head.

Shamba who is described by the Herald (newspaper) as being jittery first led the police to the garden where he had kidnapped young Tapiwa, allegedly at the behest of his uncle. He then took the boy to the uncle’s homestead where they fed him and plied him alcohol as they waited for nightfall.

“I went to the kitchen hut and brought the boy sadza and dried fish. I washed his hands before giving him the food. After eating, I went to Mrs Katsande’s homestead where I bought five litres of illicit brew (kachasu).

“I drank the beer to gather courage. I also put a bit of sugar into the brew and offered it to the boy who took it until he got drunk and slept. I then locked him up in the room before going back to Mrs Katsande’s homestead for more beer,” he said.

Shamba said that when the community launched a search party, the uncle Tapiwa Makore (Senior) participated with everyone else and only returned after the search was called off at around midnight. When he returned he said that they should take the boy to a nearby mountain to kill 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,”

Shamba also explained how Tapiwa’s torso came to be discovered the next morning, saying that he dropped it on purpose because it was becoming too heavy.

“The bag was now heavier and dogs were barking. I had to quickly drop the torso and proceeded with the head,” he said.

The next day, Tapiwa’s uncle instructed him to dump the arms and legs at a nearby grave as he was feeling the heat from the police presence in the area.

Police are still hunting for the third man who is said to be a witch doctor. He is alleged to have promised the pair US$1 500. However, the money was supposed to be delivered at a later date and the two got nabbed before they could enjoy their blood money.

Source: Full Details Of Murehwa Ritual Killing Revealed…Tapiwa’s Uncle Was Holding The Torch

More:

Murehwa Ritual Killing In New Twist As Police Arrest Murdered Boy’s Uncle

Murehwa Ritual Killing Suspect Tafadzwa Shamba (Image Credit: Herald/Zimpapers Images). 

Published: September 28, 2020
By: iHarare – Tim E. Ndoro

The horrific case of a 7-year-old boy who was killed for ritual purposes in Murehwa has taken a new twist after the deceased’s uncle was arrested in connection with the sacrificial killing.

7-year-old Tapiwa Makore was murdered last week after he was waylaid by Tafadzwa Shamba, who worked as a herder at a nearby household. Tapiwa is reported to have been held hostage in a mountain before he was killed. After committing the heinous murder, the suspects hacked off Tapiwa’s head, arms, and legs, leaving his torso behind.

Tapiwa’s body was only discovered the next day when a neighbor was shocked to come across his dogs feasting on the boy’s remains.

Following fast investigations, the police arrested 40-year-old Tafadzwa Shamba for the ritual killing. Under questioning, he is reported to have said that he committed the dastardly deed with two accomplices.

The herder went on to say that one of the accomplices, who hails from Juru Growth Point, took Tapiwa’s head with him and promised to pay him US$1 500 when he returned to collect more body parts. Shamba was arrested before he could receive his blood money.

Frighteningly, a fire-singed child’s palm, a jaw with seven lower teeth, two skulls, and other body pieces were discovered at the crime scene. This means, that Shamba and his accomplices have probably committed multiple murders for ritual purposes. It is yet to be established how many young children may have met their untimely deaths in this horrific manner.

In a twist to the case, the police have now arrested Tapiwa’s uncle in connection with his nephew’s ritual killing. According to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the deceased’s uncle is also called Tapiwa Makore and he is the one who employed Shamba as his herdboy.

The 57-year-old uncle was arrested on Friday after he was implicated in the crime by Shamba. In a terse statement, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) said,

Tapiwa Makore (57) who employed Tafadzwa Shamba as a herd boy was arrested by police on 25/9/20 after being implicated in the murder of Tapiwa Makore (7) in Murewa. He is the victim’s uncle and investigations into the matter are continuing.

The police are yet to release further detail on the matter.

Source: Murehwa Ritual Killing In New Twist As Police Arrest Murdered Boy’s Uncle