The family of killer cop, Jaison Muvhevhi yesterday approached two families of the three victims that he shot dead in Hwedza last week and apologized for the heinous crime.
They roped in police details, local traditional leaders, and Zanu PF officials to engage the bereaved families. The negotiating team, led by Jaison’s cousin brother Bornface Mudzamiri first visited the late Munashe Mujanhi’s family, in Musekanehuku village where they apologized and sought to mend bridges.
The Muvhevhi family paid US$300 as per tradition to kickstart the negotiations as well as to admit that their son erred by committing a serious offense.
Later they visited the home of the late Madzibaba Silage (real name Crispen Kanerusine) where they also met the family elders and apologised.
Tempers, however, flared as the Kanerusine family demanded the presence of the accused’s mother.
“Where is Jaison’s mother? She should be here. She was close to Madzibaba Silage, they worshipped together and why did she fail to come and bid farewell to him?” charged Madzibaba Silage’s relative.
The accused’s mother reportedly stays in Mutare.
A sombre atmosphere engulfed Madzibaba Silage’s homestead in Zinzombe village as thousands of apostolic sect members, villagers and politicians among others paid their last respects to the revered faith healer.
The Muvhevhi’s then paid US$300 as funeral contribution to Madzibaba Silage’s family. But at first the family resisted the payment.
It took popular apostolic sect leader Madzibaba Simbarashe Nengomasha to convince the family to accept the money.
The Kanerusine family also told the Muvhevhi family to go back and seek assistance from the local traditional leaders on the procedures to be followed on avenging the spirit of the deceased.
Mudzamiri told NewsDay that they had to visit the bereaved families to open doors for dialogue.
“We are the family; we admit the wrongs done by our son. We are here to mend bridges and see how best we can deal with this issue. We are truly sorry for what happened, and we want the families of the victims to accept our sincere apologies,” he said.
The accused’s family is also set to travel to Mberengwa, Midlands province, to initiate dialogue with the family of the third victim, Maxwell Hove, a Hwedza top cop who was also gunned down.
Nengomasha, a leader of the Johane Masowe Chishanu Canaan, said the gesture by the Muvhevhi family was commendable.
“As sect leaders we say they have to be here to at least start the process of avenging the spirit of the deceased persons. As neighbours or the society, we need to reach a consensus, we pray for peace, what has happened will not be reversed, it’s a single person, Jaison who did all this but his family has come; hence the need to reach a consensus and move on,” he said.
Muvevi was arrested on Monday in Mozambique while fleeing from justice. He appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court yesterday charged with illegal possession of firearms. He was remanded in custody to tomorrow.
The murders were triggered by accusations that he was involved in rituals and occultism.
In other news – Mutare woman gives birth in a shop
An unidentified woman in Mutare central business district gave birth to a baby boy while shopping in a baby clothes shop today.
She was attended to by a local medical practitioner who was rushed to the scene and completed the whole labor process in the shop. Learn More
