Zimpapers Logo

Noah Pito in Hurungwe
The 20-year-old man under Headman Matau in Hurungwe West, who allegedly beheaded his 40-year-old sister last Friday after being promised $4 000 by a local businessman, has appeared before a Karoi magistrate, together with the suspected businessman.

Isaac Mashonga and the businessman Robert Tichareva (46), appeared before magistrate Mr Sam Chitumwa yesterday, facing murder charges.

They were remanded in custody to July 30.

Tichareva was represented by Karoi lawyer Mr Samuel Muemeki, while Isaac was unrepresented.

It is the State’s case that sometime early this month, the two hatched a plan to behead Dadirai Mashonga.

It is alleged that Tichareva wanted to use the head for rituals to boost his business and promised Isaac $4 000 upon delivering the head.

Allegations are that on July 14 at around 2am, Isaac went into Dadirai’s bedroom hut armed with a knife, an axe and an adze.

He hacked off Dadirai’s head. The court heard that Isaac put Dadirai’s head in a satchel.

He dumped the blood-stained weapons in a disused Blair toilet at the homestead.

Isaac then proceeded to Zvipani Business Centre with the head in the satchel.

Tichareva phoned Isaac telling him to hide the head in his broken down Toyota Camry vehicle parked at his premises.

It is alleged that Tichareva later ordered Isaac to remove the head and hide it in the bush, 80 metres away from his premises.

Isaac did what he was told, the court heard. Around 6am on the same day, the deceased’s mother Keredia returned from an all-night prayer session.

She discovered Dadirai’s headless body lying in a pool of blood in her bedroom hut. The father, Champion Mashonga, who is also a village head in the area, alerted neighbours and the police.

Villagers confronted Isaac after noticing blood stains on his jacket and he testified to killing his sister. Isaac led villagers and the police to Zvipani Business Centre where he had hidden the head under Tichareva’s instruction.

Police took Tichareva’s mobile phone to confirm if there was communication between the suspects.

They also recovered the blood-stained weapons used in committing the offence.

Buildings at Tichareva’s business premises were extensively damaged on Sunday, with property worth thousands of dollars destroyed as an angry mob staged a protest.

Tichareva’s wife and children have since fled the area.