Vincent Gono
Senior Reporter
A 31-year-old man who is suspected to be mentally challenged, struck and killed an unsuspecting 74-year-old granny with a pestle after jumping out of his in-law’s house, where he was locked up, through the window.
The incident occurred around 8pm last week in village Chinzuvani, Chief Nyajena in Masvingo district when Peter Mutaviri who was starting to show signs of mental illness struck and killed Ms Lizzy Mafurashanga (74) of village Chekai under the same chief with a pestle soon after attacking one of her grandchildren Alvin Mashapa injuring him in the process.
Mutaviri ran away after committing the crime and is still at large.
Acting police spokesman for Masvingo Assistant Inspector Charity Sitshengisiwe Mazula confirmed the incident.
“We received a report where a man suspected to be mentally challenged struck and killed an unsuspecting granny (74) with a pestle after he got to her home and asked for drinking water that he was given before attacking her and her grandchildren. The man ran away after committing the offence and we are appealing to members of society who may have information on his whereabouts to contact the police,” said Asst Insp Mazula.
She said Mutaviri left his home in the company of his wife Prisca Maodza going to farm number 228 Mushawasha where they wanted to employ the services of a traditional healer since Mutaviri was showing signs of insanity.
They, however, failed to find the traditional healer and they decided to proceed to Nyajena Rural Hospital where they were advised to see a doctor who was also not at the hospital when they arrived.
The two, according to Asst Insp Mazula then went to the wife’s home in Renco where they found Prisca’s father Mr Marko Maodza at home.
While at his in-laws’ home, Mutaviri became worse and started running away alleging that he was seeing some strange things in the house. His wife and father-in-law followed in hot pursuit and managed to catch him, brought him back and locked him in the house.
Mutaviri however escaped through the window and ran away without his wife and his father-in-law noticing.
He got to Ms Mafurashanga’s homestead where he found her cooking while two of her twin grandchildren Alvin and Alfa Mashapa were seated around the fire place. Mutaviri asked for water to drink and he was given. He then entered the kitchen and took a pestle that he used to strike Alvin with once. Alvin sustained head injuries but managed to run away.
Realising that Alvin had run away, he turned to Ms Mafurashanga who he struck twice on the head with the pestle and she started bleeding through the nose and mouth. She later died that same night before being taken to hospital.
Her body was taken to Renco Mine Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem while Alvin is admitted at Muchibwa Clinic.
Mutaviri ran away after committing the offence and police in Masvingo have since launched a manhunt for him.