Man kills dad with shovel

A MAN from Mberengwa allegedly teamed up with his injiva uncle to brutally bash his parents with a shovel, leading to his father's death. The injiva allegedly accused the old man of bewitching him, while the man was furious that his father refused to lend him money or give him a piece of land to build a homestead.

Tafaranazvo Zhou Hamadziripi (50) who is based in South Africa and Mkhokheli Moyo (36) of Machova Village under Chief Chingoma allegedly struck Moyo's father, Masvora Zhou Hamadziripi (71) on the head with a shovel and he sustained a deep cut.

His mother, who was only identified as Mrs Hamadziripi, survived with minor injuries. She screamed for the family's herdsman to rescue them but her son and his uncle had tied the door to the worker's hut with a piece of string to prevent him from intervening. The duo fled soon after the assault on Friday, at around 10PM.

Neighbours said they rushed Masvora to Musume District Hospital. "He was transferred to Mnene Hospital where he died before being admitted," said a neighbour who asked not to be named. Family members said police arrested the injiva at Ngungumbane Train Station, where he was about to board a train as he tried to escape to South Africa.

They said Moyo, who is Masvora's son born out of wedlock was arrested while drinking beer in the village. Acting Midlands police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende said she was yet to get finer details. "I can confirm receiving a case of murder from Musume, Mataga in Mberengwa. I don't have more details on what exactly transpired," said Asst Insp Mukwende.

A villager said Tafaranazvo and Moyo arrived at Masvora's homestead at around 10 PM intending to discuss the issue of space for the latter's homestead since he was now married. He said Tafaranazvo allegedly accused his father of planting juju at his homestead, leading him to having sleepless nights.

"Tafaranazvo and Moyo are said to have had discussed Masvora's reluctance to have Moyo build a homestead near his. "Tafaranazvo allegedly influenced Moyo to mete out instant justice on his father," said the villager.

The herdsman, Mr Forget Mangena (24) said the pair could also have been irked by Masvora's refusal to give them money that they had asked for. "Tafaranazvo and Moyo found us already asleep. They first locked my door from outside together with Mrs Hamadziripi whom they also assaulted.

"I overheard Tafaranazvo complaining that Masvora had refused to give his son, Moyo, some money and had previously left goblins at his homestead. Moyo was also accusing him of not giving him land to build his homestead," said Mr Mangena.

He said he struggled in vain with the door as he heard blood curdling screams from Masvora and his wife. "When I finally managed to break down the door, I was taken aback by a pool of blood coming from the bedroom, into the bathroom.

"In the bedroom, Masvora lay unconscious with blood still oozing from his injured head. He had a deep cut between the eyes that was caused by a strike from a shovel that we later found outside in the yard. Moyo and his uncle had disappeared," he said. He said he informed the village head Machova who rushed to the scene and called an ambulance.