Boy rapes cousin, chops body into pieces

A 16-YEAR-OLD boy from Siamputeni village 44, Chishizya area, under Chief Sinamagonde, in Binga, Matabeleland North province, who is alleged to have raped his 17-year-old cousin before brutally chopping her body into pieces, has been declared mentally fit to stand trial.

The teenager, whose identity is being withheld for legal reasons, has been deemed fit to stand trial at the Hwange Magistrates’ Court.

The decision comes after two mental health evaluations were conducted by doctors, in accordance with the Mental Health Act.

The boy’s alleged actions left his community in shock when, after allegedly raping his cousin, he went on to chop her head and left limb with an axe before removing pieces of flesh with a knife from her back, right thigh and abdomen, leaving the intestines exposed.

After the brutal attack, he allegedly pulled the dismembered body to the edge of a maize field where he dumped it. In his warned and cautioned statement to the police, the teenager admitted to the murder, claiming he committed it after the girl threatened to report him to her mother for alleged sexual abuse.

The boy confessed under interrogation to raping his cousin after watching pornography.

He additionally claimed he killed his cousin because some people in Kwekwe had promised him some money in exchange for a human head and leg.

The gory details emerged when the boy recently appeared before Binga resident magistrate Mr Victor Mpofu facing two counts of rape and one of murder. He was remanded in custody pending mental evaluation.

Circumstances are that on February 26, around midday, the boy and her cousin were at their homestead. The accused was watching videos on his mobile phone while sleeping in one of the bedrooms, and the now-deceased was sleeping on the veranda.

The court heard that the two had a misunderstanding over a phone.

This resulted in the accused smashing the deceased’s cell phone.

Following the altercation, the girl went to sleep in the house. The accused, who had been reportedly watching pornographic videos, subsequently followed and grabbed her before ripping off her clothes and then raped her.

After being sexually abused, the deceased went to sleep on the veranda and told the accused person that she intended to report the matter to her mother.

In a fit of rage, the accused person took an axe and allegedly struck the deceased once on the neck, thereby killing her instantly. Thereafter, he chopped off her head and left lower limb using the axe.

He subsequently took a knife and cut off a piece of flesh from the deceased’s back and right thigh, and removed a piece of flesh from the abdomen, leaving the intestines protruding.

The court was further told that the accused took the head and left leg, placing them approximately 10 metres from the body. He then dumped the flesh on the edge of the maize field.

The accused took the knife and washed it before leaving it on the veranda. He then left. He was arrested while attempting to pass through the nearby Chizarira National Park. — B-Metro

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Dispute over US$1 turns nasty

Two drinking mates who were involved in an altercation with their neighbour and allegedly stabbing him over $1 were arrested.

The incident happened around 11.30pm in Pumula East suburb. It was confirmed by Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube.

“We would like to urge community members to refrain from taking the law into their own hands. Whenever they are involved in disputes, they should seek counselling from pastors, elders in the community or police,” he said.

A source said Naniso Edith Moyo (29) was in the company of her friend Mthokozisi Mhlanga (34) at a local drinking spot.T heir neighbour, Godknows Ndlovu (28), was also present. After boozing, the trio, who happen to stay in the same neighbourhood, walked together to their homes.

Mhlanga had given Ndlovu US$1 to buy beer. He then demanded his money from Ndlovu who reportedly told him that he did not have it and an argument broke out.

The pair then assaulted Ndlovu.

“Moyo and her partner in crime grabbed Ndlovu by his throat and took turns to punch and kick him all over the body,” said the source close to the incident.

The source added: “One of his attackers reached for a broken beer bottle and stabbed Ndlovu on the forehead. He tumbled to the ground and bled profusely.”

The pair fled, leaving Ndlovu lying on the ground in a pool of blood. Ndlovu was ferried to Mpilo Central Hospital by a resident.

Moyo and Mhlanga have been arrested and they are expected to appear before a regional magistrate at the Western Commonage Court facing an attempted murder charge. —B-Metro

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Body found stuffed in 50kg sack

Two Chipinge men confessed to fatally assaulting a man they suspected of stealing their maize meal before stashing his body in a sack and burying it in a shallow grave to conceal  the crime.

Seven days after committing the crime, Daniel Sithole and Cleanous Utete confessed to killing their neighbour, Nicholas Muyambo.

The two revealed how they stashed Muyambo’s body in a sack, hurriedly dug a shallow grave and buried the corpse in it.

Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the spine-chilling murder, which occurred on Farm 34 in Middle Sabi, Chipinge district.

Asst Insp Chinyoka said the suspects were assisting police with investigations. He said Muyambo met his fate when he visited the suspected killers’ workstation looking for a job.

“On March 10, 2024, Muyambo went to Farm 34 to seek employment. He met the two accused persons who accused him of stealing maize meal. He vehemently denied the allegations, but the two accused persons force-marched him to a maize field where they assaulted him with a wooden stick all over the body.

“After that day, Muyambo went missing. His elder brother, Mr Shingirirai Muyambo, later made a missing person police report at Middle Sabi on March 17.”

Coincidentally, on the same day, one of the suspects, Utete, called Mr Listen Chikoo (24), who is an irrigator on Farm 34, and told him about their heinous act.

“Utete confided in Mr Chikoo that they had killed Muyambo before further revealing that they stashed his body in a sack and buried the corpse in a shallow grave nearby,” he said.

Asst Insp Chinyoka said as Utete was confessing to committing the heinous act, Mr Chikoo recorded the whole conversation using his cellphone.

Mr Chikoo went to inform Mr Passmore Muumbe of Farm 28 about what he had heard.

Mr Muumbe accompanied Mr Chikoo to the area where Utete said they had buried the late Muyambo’s body. They searched the area and stumbled on the shallow grave.

After discovering the grave, the two made a report to the police.

Police attended the scene and exhumed the body, leading to the arrest of the suspects. The body was in a sack and already in an advanced state of decomposition.

The body was taken to Chipinge District Hospital mortuary for post-mortem.

“We continue to appeal to the public to solve disputes amicably, rather than resorting to violence, which often leads to loss of life.

“We will not hesitate to bring to book culprits who decide to take the law into their own hands,” said Asst Insp Chinyoka. — Manica Post