Zim man consults prophet, kills, burns wife for rituals

A Zimbabwean man referred to as Masuku has shocked his community after he killed, burned and buried his wife following advice from a local prophet.

The 64 year old man from Mabele village in Zvishavane committed the crime for rituals.

He allegedly told his wife that he wanted her to accompany him to fetch water at Ngezi River at midnight and this was in order to cleanse a bad omen that haunted his family. According to state papers, On November 22 at around 2am Masuku ordered the wife to accompany him to Ngezi river with two 5-litre containers to fetch water for the ritual.

Masuku is alleged to have picked a logo and struck his wife on the head from behind and she fell down.

He then struck her for the second time before she passed out. Masuku is alleged to have burnt the now deceased’s body using firewood to conceal the offense. He then buried the body.

The matter came into light when police were investigating a stolen radio that was found with Masuku. He confessed to the crime as he was also seen by a neighbor walking with Dziwandi the same night she went missing.

In an unrelated incident, a 35 year old Chiredzi man, Renias Masocha beat his wife to death, accusing her of failing to withdraw enough money from the bank despite spending the whole day in a queue, a local court heard this week.

He was not asked to plead to murder charges when he appeared before magistrate Geraldine Mutsoto.

Masocha was remanded in custody to 12 January 2017 and advised to apply for bail at the High court.