Vapostori beat cousin to death

By Ishmael Tagurenyika

Villagers under chief Mutambare in Chimanimani were left shell-shocked after a 65-year-old man was beaten to death by his brother’s siblings both from Johanne Marange Apostlolic sect (Mapostori) over witchcraft allegations.

The gruesome incident was confirmed by police at Cashel Station. Police said that Nehumani, Aminahabhi and Hazron Munjoma of Maunzani village under chief Mutambara in Chimanimani beat Pellah Munjoma (65) to death on allegations of bewitching them.

“On the 31st day of August 2020 at around 0600hrs Nehumani and Aminadhabhi proceeded to Chimanimani and took the now deceased from Chimanimani to their homestead in Nhedziwa Maunzani Village, upon arrival they were accompanied by Hezron, Eliah Shib and Kim Munjoma and they force-marched the now deceased to Eria Munjoma’s homestead who is the father of the accused persons.

“The accused were accusing the now deceased of bewitching them and demanding to know where his goblins are but the now deceased denied the allegations. This provoked the accused who then took some switches and started hitting the now deceased several time all over the body,” said the police.

“The now deceased became unconscious and the accused took their unregistered Mitsubishi canter owned by one of the accused person Dhabhi Munjoma and ferried him to Mutambara hospital where upon arrival he was attended by a Sister who was on duty.

“However the sister on duty advised them that Pellah Munjoma had died. The accused then sneaked from the hospital with the body and drove back to their homestead and upon arrival they left the body in the vehicle and fled,” narrated the police.

The light of the horrific incident came to the police’s attention after one of the accused persons’ brother informed one of the deceased’s son in Harare who later informed the police at Cashel police station.

“One of the accused brothers, Shib Munjoma(25) discovered that Pellah Munjoma was lying lifeless in the loading box and phoned his elderly brother Alfred Munjoma in Harare and Alfred then phoned police Cashel,” said the police.

Police investigations showed that the deceased was heavily assaulted which lead to his death.

“The police attended the scene, examined the body, noted some bruises, swollen back and buttocks. The police also discovered twelve switches measuring approximately one meter each.

“The now deceased’s body was taken to Mutambara hospital where it was confirmed that Pellah Munjoma was dead,” said the police.

The police has launched a manhunt on the accused persons who are on the run.

An eye witness, Eliah Shibbi Munjoma, narrated the developments,

“I was at Nhedziwa business centre in the morning with my brothers Hezron and Kim Munjoma. Nehumani and Aminadhabhi came where we were with babamukuru Pellah and they told us to accompany them to our late father’s house in Maunzani.

“Upon arrival Nehumani forced Pellah to enter the house and he asked Pellah to explain why he is bewitching them with his goblins of which babamukuru denied the allegations. This led Hezron to go outside and come up with some sticks and Nehumani, Aminadhabhi and Hezron started beating Pellah,” said Shib.

Shib said he made efforts to try to save Pellah from the rage of his three brothers but he was threatened.

“I tried to refrain them from assaulting Pellah, but they turned on me and forced me out of the house.

“When Pellah was unconscious, i accompanied my brothers to Mutambara hospital with babamukuru for treatment and we were told that we can not be attended to without police forms because he was dead.

“Nehumani drove back to our father’s homestead with the lifeless body, parked the car in the yard and they fled,” Shib added.

Headman in Maunzani Mr Edward Mupunga condemned the incident saying it has tarnished his village.

“What they have done is not acceptable in this village it is bad, they have tarnished my village.

“Some of my villagers are begging for them to leave this village because they have failed to live with other people because they have another previous violent incident in the area,” said headman Mupunga.

The headman has urged his villagers to consult other people in times of quarrels to avoid such horrific developments.

“When it comes to issues like these, if people have quarrels they should come out then we can help each other not to be quiet , this will lead to these madness acts,” he said.

A disgruntled villager who declined to be named says the act was unexpected from people who go to church.

“This is evil we did not expect it from mapostori, they have tarnished their church and our society and we are now afraid of them, ” she said. H-Metro