The Sunday News
Midlands Correspondent
A 39-YEAR-OLD man from Lower Gweru recently went berserk and brutally murdered his 91-year-old father by crushing his head against a rock, while accusing him of bewitching his two siblings who have mental illness.Johannes Mpofu of Ruby Group Two farm on the outskirts of Gweru was not asked to plead when he appeared before Gweru magistrate Ms Judith Taruvinga facing a murder charge.
He was remanded in custody to 24 November and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
For the State, Ms Helen Khosa alleged that Mpofu gruesomely murdered his father, Tobias Runesu, whom he accused of practising witchcraft and bewitching his two brothers who started suffering from mental illness under unclear circumstances.
Ms Khosa alleged that on 27 October, Ida Muchairi (54) left her husband, Runesu, with their son, Mpofu, while she went to fetch water from a nearby river.
She alleged that while Muchairi was away, Mpofu allegedly accused his father of bewitching his two elder brothers resulting in them suffering from mental illness.
Ms Khosa told the court that Mpofu accused his father of being abusive and told him that he was supposed to pay for his sins.
The court heard that Mpofu allegedly dragged his father to a rock which was close to the homestead and hit his head against it several times until he fell unconscious.
Ms Khosa said Runesu started bleeding profusely from the nose and mouth as a result of the assault.
He later died before Muchairi returned home.
Ms Khosa further alleged that when Muchairi returned, Mpofu told her that he had killed a lion which had been causing trouble to him and his brothers.
The court also heard that when Muchairi went behind the house where the “lion” was said to be lying dead, she realised that Mpofu was referring to her husband.
Muchairi alerted some villagers and a police report was made, leading to Mpofu’s arrest.
