A 20-year-old Headlands man, Tatenda Mudziwedare of Village 5B, Sherenje who was arrested for attempting to murder a seven-year-old Grade One learner, has been sentenced to seven years in prison, of which 3 years were suspended.
Mudziwedare pleaded guilty to charges of attempted murder when he was arraigned before the Rusape Magistrates’ Court.
Allegations were that on 28 February 2024, Mudziwedare was instructed by John Madondo, who operates shops at the Eagle Nest area at Sherenje Business Centre to bring him a human head.
Acting on the instruction, Mudziwedare chased a group of learners who were on their way to school at Sherenje Business Centre.
He managed to grab the complainant who is a 7-year-old Grade 1 pupil and squeezed the minor’s neck using both hands.
Mudziwedare only stopped after he saw some villagers approaching at a distance.
The learner narrated his ordeal to his mother who reported the matter to the Police, leading to Mudziwedare’s arrest.
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.
