Zanu PF officials kidnap two girls for rituals

KADOMA – Two Zanu PF aspiring council candidates who allegedly thought that the spilling of blood of two innocent girls would help them win in the harmonised elections are in trouble after being arrested by police. 

The botched ritual killing incident which now threatens to suck in top Zanu PF officials in Mashonaland West has invoked memories of the party’s strong belief in traditional remedies which is well documented in the Rotina Mavhunga diesel fiasco in Chinhoyi.

Chipo Muradi (54) and Dominic Musapurwa (56), both losing council candidates in Kadoma’s wards 17 and 11 respectively for Zanu PF, appeared in court on Wednesday facing charges of kidnapping two minors for ritual purposes.

Muradi and Musapurwa are jointly charged with Zanu PF Waverly district chairperson Odrina Gwengwe (51), Kaise Ncube (69) and Joyce Watyoka (50) for allegedly kidnapping the two girls for ritual purposes.

It is the State’s case that on July 15 at around 6pm, Gwengwe together with her accomplices took her tenant’s twin daughters without their mother’s consent to a traditional healer named in court as Christopher Maduchwa.

“On July 15, accused persons gathered at 1403 Waverly, Kadoma, and arraigned two female juvenile to a traditional healer for ritual proceedings concerning July 31 harmonised elections,” reads part of the State outline.

The traditional healer who was supposed to carry out the rituals did not appear in court since he is still at large. The State further alleges that when the accused persons arrived at Maduchwa’s shrine, the five removed their shoes and also ordered the girls to remove their shoes before sprinkling them with snuff.

During trial, Ncube told the court that the traditional healer later refused to carry out further rituals after falling into a trance telling his clients that they had stolen the children when he had instructed them to bring their own.

Ncube further alleged that top Zanu PF officials in the province were well aware of these rituals and had given them the go-ahead and blessings in an attempt to secure victory against the MDC-T at all costs.

Watyoka denied the charge of kidnapping although she admitted going to the rituals with her co-accused.

“I indeed accompanied the other co-accused persons herein to the place where ritual activities were carried out by Mudhuchwa, but the children were brought by Gwerengwe who said she had been given authority by their parents,” she told the court.

Defence lawyer Tinashe Matiyashe told NewsDay his clients were innocent and he was sure they would be acquitted.

“We are fighting without ceasing for the acquittal of our innocent clients and chances are high that they will be acquitted,” said Matiashe.

The matter continues in court on November 11 when the last defence witness is expected to take to the stand before provincial magistrate Richard Ramaboe, while Farai Gwitima appears for the State. NewsDay