RUSAPE – A 20-year-old man, Tatenda Mudziwedare, from Headlands, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for the attempted ritual murder of a seven-year-old schoolboy.
Mudziwedare appeared before the Rusape Magistrates’ Court on charges of attempted murder.
The court heard that on February 28, 2024, Mudziwedare was “instructed by a businessman at Sherenje Business Centre to bring him a human head,” according to a statement by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
Acting on these supposed instructions, Mudziwedare “chased a group of pupils that were on their way to school,” the court heard.
Mudziwedare then “managed to grab the complainant who is a seven-year-old Grade 1 pupil,” the court continued.
The prosecution stated that Mudziwedare “squeezed the minor’s neck using both hands.” Thankfully, “the accused person only stopped after he saw some villagers approaching at a distance.”
The shaken young boy “narrated his ordeal to his mother who reported the matter to the Police,” leading to Mudziwedare’s swift arrest.
Mudziwedare reportedly “pleaded guilty to the charge” and was sentenced to seven years in prison. However, “three years were suspended,” resulting in a final term of four years behind bars.
On 12 July 2023, Tafadzwa Shamba and Tapiwa Makore Senior were sentenced to death after the court found that, on 17 September 2020, the two murdered a seven year old Tapiwa Makore. The remains of the deceased were found disfigured and dismembered, sparking widespread outrage.
The frequency of these horrific incidents has cast a shadow over the community and raised concerns about the motives behind the attempted ritual killingS.
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