News / Local
Teenager dies during Nyau dance ritual
10 May 2022 at 07:46hrs | Views
A 16-YEAR-OLD Beatrice teenager died after he was allegedly buried alive in a shallow grave during a Nyau dance ritual in Beatrice.
Tafadzwa Mudahondo's body was retrieved from the shallow grave after he had been in it for 45 minutes.
Two Nyau dancers have since been arrested in connection with the teenager's death.
Mashonaland East provincial police spokesperson Inspector Simon Chazovachii confirmed the incident to NewsDay, saying the police were still investigating the matter.
It is alleged that on May 7, at around 8pm, the deceased in the company of his parents went to Munandi Farm, Beatrice, to attend his grandmother's memorial service.
At the service, several Nyau dance groups from surrounding farms were taking turns to perform during an all-night vigil.
The deceased was then spotted by his father wearing a Nyau dance outfit and his father reprimanded him, leading to an altercation.
The teenager then allegedly asked Nyau dancers to dig a pit and bury him, and witness him miraculously resurrecting.
The dancers allegedly dug the pit and buried the boy alive.
They then danced around the grave, and collected cash from onlookers who wanted to witness the miracle taking
place.
Villagers then alerted the now deceased's father. He demanded that his son be retrieved immediately from the shallow grave.
By the time he was retrieved, he was unconscious.
Efforts to resuscitate him were fruitless.
Tafadzwa Mudahondo's body was retrieved from the shallow grave after he had been in it for 45 minutes.
Two Nyau dancers have since been arrested in connection with the teenager's death.
Mashonaland East provincial police spokesperson Inspector Simon Chazovachii confirmed the incident to NewsDay, saying the police were still investigating the matter.
It is alleged that on May 7, at around 8pm, the deceased in the company of his parents went to Munandi Farm, Beatrice, to attend his grandmother's memorial service.
At the service, several Nyau dance groups from surrounding farms were taking turns to perform during an all-night vigil.
The deceased was then spotted by his father wearing a Nyau dance outfit and his father reprimanded him, leading to an altercation.
The teenager then allegedly asked Nyau dancers to dig a pit and bury him, and witness him miraculously resurrecting.
The dancers allegedly dug the pit and buried the boy alive.
They then danced around the grave, and collected cash from onlookers who wanted to witness the miracle taking
place.
Villagers then alerted the now deceased's father. He demanded that his son be retrieved immediately from the shallow grave.
By the time he was retrieved, he was unconscious.
Efforts to resuscitate him were fruitless.
Source - NewsDay Zimbabwe
