The family of the man whose body was found in a local river on 30 August say they have every reason to believe that he had been ritually murdered.
David Mutuwafethu (54) from Phadzima Dzumbathoho went missing on 16 August this year – about two weeks before his body was found floating in the Mutshedzi River. His body was spotted by a local herdsman who passed the river with his cows last Tuesday. The man raised the alarm and the police and its diving wing were informed.
Mutuwafethu's sister, Ms Rudzani Manngo, is convinced that her brother had been killed for ritualistic purposes. "I suspected all along that his death had not been natural, but man-made, and this was confirmed when his body was found. My brother's eyes and tongue were cut out and his right ear was missing, as well as his private parts. Besides this, the skin on his head was removed. This is a clear indication of a ritual killing," she said.
The police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo confirmed that a body had been found in the river. He discounted the possibility of a ritual murder. "We rely on post-mortem results. We will know what to do as soon as the doctor has confirmed the cause of death. For now, we have opened an inquest docket," he said.
The chairperson of the local civic organisation, Mr Joseph Mulaudzi, said that crime had become a thorny issue in the area. "We are worried about the number of people going missing in the area. As leaders, we are also saddened when people die in this manner." He asked the community to remain calm and to allow the police to do their work properly.
The Vhulaudzi Pastors' Forum recently held a prayer session for the families of people who had gone missing over the years.