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Crime Reporter

The rise in killings and murders of children, in some cases for ritual purposes, is disturbing and Government will expand efforts in ensuring that the sanctity of life is preserved.

In recent weeks, there has been the murder of Tapiwa Makore (7) in Murehwa, in what is seen a ritual killing, and this week a Chivhu woman slit the throats of her four daughters after a misunderstanding with her husband over their paternity.

Speaking during the 2020 ZRP Staff College graduation ceremony in Harare yesterday, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe said authorities will continue to ensure criminals engaged in such disturbing crimes were immediately brought to justice.

“The country is disturbed by the loss of lives of young children as a result of heinous and evil actions for rituals and witchcraft purposes,” he said. “These include the recent brutal murder of a seven-year-old boy in Murehwa, among others.

“As Government, we will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the sanctity of life is preserved. Our conviction is that human life is precious and these cold hearted acts have no place in our country. Towards that end, we will continue to ensure that all criminals engaged in such gruesome crimes are swiftly brought to justice.”

Investigations into the killing of Tapiwa are in progress and police arrested Thanks Makore (56) this week in connection with the murder of his nephew.

It is alleged that Thanks Makore (Snr) was given the boy’s head and arms and he has already appeared before a Mutoko magistrate, who remanded him in custody.

Efforts are now being concentrated on locating the boy’s head and arms.

Recent police investigations into the boy’s murder revealed that an 11-year-old boy from Nyamutumbu Village was paid US$5 to lure Tapiwa from his parents’ garden to his uncle’s homestead.

The uncle, Tapiwa Makore (Snr), allegedly gave the boy US$5 plus a T-shirt for the role he played, before warning him against disclosing the matter to anyone.

The boy handed over the money to his mother who kept the secret. The uncle, together with his herdsman Tafadzwa Shamba, are in remand prison pending the murder trial.