A businessman from Headlands, Manicaland Province, John Madondo, who operates shops at Eagle Nest area, is accused of hiring a hitman to kill a person and bring to him the head to perform money-making rituals.
As reported by The Manica Post, the allegations emerged during the trial of Tatenda Mudziwedare (20) of Village 5B, Sherenje who pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to murder a seven-year-old Grade One learner on the alleged instruction of Madondo.
Madondo is reported to be in South Africa and was allegedly communicating with Mudziwedare over the phone, giving him instructions.
Mudziwedare was not represented when he appeared before Rusape regional magistrate, Francis Mapfumo.
He pleaded guilty to violating Section 187 as read with Section 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act which criminalises attempts to kill a person. The charge sheet reads:
Tatenda Mudziwedare is charged with the crime of attempted murder as defined in Section 187, as read with Section 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9.23 in that on February 28, 2024, and at Sherenje Business Centre, Headlands, he (Tatenda Mudziwedare) attempted to cause the death of Alvin Kambadza by squeezing his neck with both hands after having been instructed by a businessman, John Madondo, to bring a human head for rituals.
Mapfumo convicted Mudziwedare of the offence and was expected to sentence him yesterday (Thursday).
Tawanda Munjanja, representing the state, said Mudziwedare tried to kill the boy by strangling his neck, and only aborted the mission after he saw some villagers approaching. Said Munjanja:
The complainant is a Grade One learner. On February 28, 2024, at around 7 am, Mudziwedare was at Sherenje Business Centre when he saw the complainant and other learners going to Sherenje Primary School.
Mudziwedare chased the learners and managed to grab the complainant. He squeezed the complainant on the neck using both hands.
The accused person saw some local villagers at a distance and let go of the complainant.
The matter came to light when the complainant reported what happened to his mother.
Ritual killings are common in Zimbabwe, and the murderers usually target defenceless children.
Some witch doctors and traditional healers in Zimbabwe propagate the notion that the blood of young children is pure and can bring blessings and good luck.
These beliefs lead desperate individuals to commit heinous acts, believing that body parts from children can be used in rituals to create wealth.
One of the high-profile ritual murders in recent years was that of Tapiwa Makore, a seven-year-old boy from Murehwa, Mashonaland East province.
Tapiwa’s murder in September 2020 shocked the nation and sparked widespread outrage.
Two individuals, Tafadzwa Shamba and Tapiwa Makore Senior, were sentenced to death for their involvement in Tapiwa’s gruesome ritual murder.