Poor ‘Gogo’ (71) killed, skinned in machete attack

Tragedy has struck mercilessly on the lowveld area of Chiredzi where a 35-year-old man killed and ruthlessly skinned a 71-year old granny with a machete.

Austine Chitema was arrested on Saturday  after he allegedly  killed  Castina Moyo with a machete.

Masvingo police spokesperson Chief Inspector Charity Mazula confirmed the incident.

Castina Moyo of village 4 Chiumburu, under Chief Chitanga in Mwenezi and her four-year-old grandchild, were tending their millet field when Austine Chitema of Dumela village under Chief Sengwe, Chiredzi, approached them.

Without provocation, he picked a machete which was lying on the ground and allegedly struck the deceased twice on the neck and several times on the head.

He went on to skin Moyo’s head with the machete, knocked out her front teeth and gouged out her left eye. Chitema then walked away from the crime scene, still armed with the machete.

 Villagers  teamed up and effected a citizen’s arrest on Chitema after finding him asleep a few metres from the scene of the crime.

Chitema was handed to the police in Triangle, where he is currently in detention awaiting trial.

The deceased’s body was taken to Chiredzi General Hospital mortuary for post-mortem..newsday