The Sunday News
Sharon Chimenya, Masvingo Correspondent
A SUSPECTED mentally challenged man from Gutu, who was recently released from the Chikurubi Maximum Prison has been arrested after he allegedly murdered his two-year-old brother by hitting him with a stone on the head.
The murder is one of the two that have occurred in the area allegedly by suspected mentally challenged men.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the two murder cases. He urged the public to assist the mentally challenged person in getting medication.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police is concerned with cases of murder occurring around the country. Some of these cases are being committed by mentally challenged people who are not on medication. The Zimbabwe Republic Police is urging members of the public to ensure that mentally challenged persons are assisted in getting medical attention regularly. Police warns perpetrators of murder cases that the long arm of law will catch up with them,” he said.
In one of the cases, Roy Nigo (36) of Mubonderi Village, Chief Chitsa, was arrested after he allegedly murdered his bother Ika Nigo who was two years old. Asst Comm Nyathi said Roy was released from Chikurubi Maximum Prison on 2 May and went to his home in Gutu.
On 5 May his mother Ms Sofia Mhokore left him in custody of the young brother Ika when she was tendering the fields. Asst Comm Nyathi said at round 6pm the neighbours saw Roy beating up his sibling with open hands and quickly alerted the mother who was still at the field. The child tried to run away but Roy followed the minor and struck him with a brick on the head.
The child sustained head injuries and died on 8 May while he was being taken to Harare for medication.
In a separate incident on 7 May, he said and at Gasva Village, Gutu, another suspected mentally challenged man Zakaria Madzimure (40) allegedly attacked his father Mr Elias Madzimure (82) with a wooden hoe handle before turning on to his mother Mrs Rungamirai Madzimure (76).
“At around 5.30 pm Rungamirai left home to fetch water at a nearby well and left her son Zakaria who is mentally challenged together with her husband Elias Madzimure. At around 6pm when Rungamirai came back home she found Zakaria standing by the kitchen hut holding a wooden hoe handle. When she got inside the hut, she saw Elias lying in a pool of blood and she noticed that he had deep cuts on the forehead and about five teeth on the ground and a blood-stained stone. When Rungamirai asked what had happened. she was told by Zakaria that she was next as he had already dealt with her husband.”
Asst Comm Nyathi said Zakaria hit his mother four times on the head and she became unconscious. When she gained consciousness, she rushed to her neighbours and when they came back to the house, they found Elias already dead. The matter was reported to the police and the body was ferried to Gutu Rural Hospital for post mortem.
