POLICE investigations into the Murehwa boy’s ritual murder have revealed that an 11-year-old boy from Nyamutumbu Village was paid $5 to lure the now deceased Tapiwa Makore (Jnr) from the garden to his uncle’s homestead.
The uncle, Tapiwa Makore (Snr) allegedly gave the boy $5 plus a T-shirt for the crucial role he played in the murder before warning him against disclosing the matter to other villagers.
However, 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.
Police investigations have revealed that the boy was sent by both Makore (Snr) and Shamba to lure him.
It is alleged that the boy later revealed the matter to his mother who told him not to disclose the matter. The mother is said to have used the money to buy chicken.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the latest developments and said investigations were still in progress.
He said the boy will testify as a witness in the murder trial.
Two more women were recently picked up for questioning by police after they allegedly bought meat from Tafadzwa Shamba, the herdsman.
The arrests came after reports that the meat bought by the two women might have been human flesh from the late boy’s thigh, which was sold to them at their homestead where they sell opaque beer and kachasu.
Shamba allegedly exchanged the meat for six containers of opaque beer with one of the women, Joina Tangirire, who sells beer at her homestead.
The meat was consumed by her whole family. Following a tip-off, police picked up Tangirire and a relative, Enia Tangirire, who are alleged to have admitted that they exchanged beer for the meat. The meat was, however, consumed by the whole family.
The developments also came after police arrested a third suspect linked to the murder of Tapiwa Makore (Junior) in Harare over the weekend and appeared in court on Monday.
Moud Hunidzarira (42) was arrested in Budiriro following a tip-off by the public and appeared before a Murehwa magistrate and was remanded in custody.
It is alleged that when the murder occurred, Hunidzarira was in Murehwa and a few days later, she was seen by some neighbours in Harare cleaning an item that had blood believed to be that of the late Tapiwa Makore.
Eventually, the neighbours tipped-off the police, leading to her arrest over the weekend.
-Herald