News / National
Man (75) strangled over witchcraft allegations
04 Jun 2025 at 13:29hrs | Views
Two brothers from Njere Village under Chief Garahwa in Chipinge have been arrested for allegedly murdering a 75-year-old villager whom they accused of witchcraft, in a chilling case that has shocked the local community.
Clever Sithole (43) and Cephas Sithole (53) are accused of strangling Samuel Mazikata before staging the scene to look like a suicide by hanging his body from a tree using a strip torn from a blanket.
Manicaland Acting Police Spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, confirmed the incident to Chipinge Times, saying it occurred last Sunday and that investigations are ongoing.
According to police, Clever Sithole had previously accused Mazikata of bewitching Cephas's minor child, who passed away on May 11, 2025. He allegedly threatened to kill the elderly man as a result.
On the night of the incident, Mazikata had gone to sleep in his sesame field to guard his crops. The following morning, his wife, Sarah Chauke, discovered his lifeless body hanging from a mutsviri tree when she brought him breakfast. She immediately reported the matter to Chisumbanje Police Station.
Initial police observations at the scene reportedly showed no visible injuries on Mazikata's body, prompting suspicions of suicide. However, relatives of the deceased raised alarm, pointing to prior threats made by Clever Sithole and insisting that foul play was involved.
Acting on these suspicions, police arrested Clever Sithole last Saturday. During interrogation, he allegedly confessed and implicated his older brother, Cephas, who was subsequently taken into custody.
The suspects are now facing murder charges, and police say a full post-mortem and further forensic examinations are underway to determine the exact cause of death.
The case has sent shockwaves through the Chipinge community, where beliefs in witchcraft remain deeply rooted and have occasionally led to violent reprisals. Authorities have urged communities to resolve disputes lawfully and to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.
Clever Sithole (43) and Cephas Sithole (53) are accused of strangling Samuel Mazikata before staging the scene to look like a suicide by hanging his body from a tree using a strip torn from a blanket.
Manicaland Acting Police Spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, confirmed the incident to Chipinge Times, saying it occurred last Sunday and that investigations are ongoing.
According to police, Clever Sithole had previously accused Mazikata of bewitching Cephas's minor child, who passed away on May 11, 2025. He allegedly threatened to kill the elderly man as a result.
On the night of the incident, Mazikata had gone to sleep in his sesame field to guard his crops. The following morning, his wife, Sarah Chauke, discovered his lifeless body hanging from a mutsviri tree when she brought him breakfast. She immediately reported the matter to Chisumbanje Police Station.
Initial police observations at the scene reportedly showed no visible injuries on Mazikata's body, prompting suspicions of suicide. However, relatives of the deceased raised alarm, pointing to prior threats made by Clever Sithole and insisting that foul play was involved.
Acting on these suspicions, police arrested Clever Sithole last Saturday. During interrogation, he allegedly confessed and implicated his older brother, Cephas, who was subsequently taken into custody.
The suspects are now facing murder charges, and police say a full post-mortem and further forensic examinations are underway to determine the exact cause of death.
The case has sent shockwaves through the Chipinge community, where beliefs in witchcraft remain deeply rooted and have occasionally led to violent reprisals. Authorities have urged communities to resolve disputes lawfully and to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.
Source - Mirror
