Tinaye Agere
A DISPUTE over cigarettes turned tragic in Guruve after Bothwell Manyika (34) allegedly fatally struck his colleague with an iron bar.
The incident occurred on July 13 near Chirwa Mine.
Manyika is in police custody “assisting with investigations”, according to sources close to the case.
“The two were sleeping at their base in Guruve when Manyika discovered that his cigarettes were missing. He then asked his colleague if he had seen his cigarettes, but he said he had not.
“A misunderstanding ensued and the two went to bed. The following day, Manyika also discovered that his US$33 and another pack of cigarettes were missing.
“He picked up an iron bar and struck Tom several times all over the body and went away,” said a source.
It is further alleged that Manyika came back a few hours later and discovered that his colleague had died and he tried to take the body to a bushy area.
The corpse was later discovered by his friend, Israel Gwaze, who trailed blood stains down the mountain and he filed a police report, leading to the arrest of Manyika. — Wires
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Nyazura woman sleepwalks naked
A young woman from Nyazura is having a difficult time after being forced to leave her temporary accommodation due to a series of disturbing sleepwalking episodes.
The woman, only identified as Maraya, bravely shared her harrowing experience of being initiated into witchcraft by her mother at the young age of 13.
The recent challenges stem from her sleepwalking, during which she wandered from her temporary housing in her birthday suit and ended up at nearby gravesites. These episodes have understandably caused concern over her well-being and the safety of others.
A Good Samaritan who had offered the woman accommodation was left dumbfounded on how she sneaks out of her allocated bedroom when the door is locked and windows are tucked from inside.
After failing to get answers, the woman — only identified as Kawere — was left petrified, and the only option she had was to send Maraya packing.
In an interview, Maraya admitted that at one point she was caught wandering stark naked at a cemetery. Left with no one to turn to, she is pleading for psycho-social support to overcome her predicament.
It is suspected that she is being haunted.
Some believe sleepwalkers are possessed by demons, dead people or animal spirits; or that they act under the influence of dreams.
It is also thought to be a spirit world phenomenon, often triggered by nightmares.
“I am traumatised. I need someone to help me break this curse so that I can lead a normal life again.
“After exposing my mother, ‘sleepwalking’ has become a nightly norm as I wake up outside the house, wandering around naked.
“The door of the room I sleep in will be locked from inside. Those who had offered me sanctuary could not take it anymore as they feared that I might end up harming them.
“I approached a popular traditional healer in Harare for help, but woke up outside his house as well,” she said with tears on her cheeks.
Maraya is in Masvingo, where she was tasked by a popular traditional healer to bring her mother to his shrine.
“I am in Masvingo trying to trick my mother so that we can visit Sekuru Tasvu’s shrine together. Please, pray for me so that this works because my agony is unprecedented.
“It is hard being told in your face that you devoured someone’s child. That is the story of my life. I dream of eating human flesh and I sometimes vomit it while awake.
“I often wake up at gravesites while naked and against such a background, no stranger will be comfortable having me under their roof,” she said.
Her mother (name withheld) from Mwenezi in Masvingo is said to have initiated her into witchcraft.
The mother was not available for a comment as her cellphone went unanswered.
Kawere said her life took a drastic turn the moment she accommodated Maraya. She started having weird dreams.
“I started dreaming of her chasing me while brandishing a knife every night. Some nights, I dreamt of her with strange paraphernalia and hallucinating in a foreign language.
“I had to let her go after her sleepwalking escapades in which she was found on different occasions wandering outside and at gravesites during the night.
“I hope she gets help soon because you could tell that she is being used and does not like it at all,” she said.
Maraya’s aunt, Chiedza Vakirai, confirmed that she (Maraya) was in Masvingo trying to lure her mother to travel with her to Harare.
“We are all praying that her mother accepts to accompany her to Harare so that Maraya gets assistance. She (Maraya) has suffered to the extent of visualising carrying a snake on her back.
“The snake is only visible to her. She is in pain and you can tell by merely looking at her. We have distanced ourselves from her predicament because her mother is terrifying,” said the aunt.
Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association president George Kandiero advised her to seek help from experienced exorcists.
“She can be healed if she approaches the right healers. We have sniffers and exorcists she can approach for help. It could be that she is approaching novice exorcists when the level of her mother’s witchcraft is above their powers,” he said. — Manica Post
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Murder suspect smears himself with human waste to avoid trial
A man accused of fatally stabbing his father smeared himself with faeces to avoid appearing in court.
Tsepo Dlamini (24) was meant to appear in the Nkomazi Magistrate’s Court in South Africa but could not do so after correction service officers discovered that he had smeared himself with faeces in his cell.
“A report we got is that he smeared himself with faeces, which prevented officers from taking him to court.
“But the case was postponed to a later date where he will appear in person,” said the National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson in Mpumalanga, Monica Nyuswa.
Police spokesperson Captain Magoseni Nkosi confirmed the incident.
“Yes, he did that (smeared himself), but we cannot say much about it for now. We hope he appears in court to face his alleged crime,” he said.
Dlamini, from Kamhlushwa township in Mpumalanga province, was arrested after he allegedly stabbed his father several times following an argument.
According to the police, the two had an argument in the morning before the father went to church.
However, when the father came back, Dlamini called him into the house to discuss the earlier altercation.
Dlamini then allegedly stabbed him.
“The victim tried to escape but fell a few steps away from the house,” said Capt Nkosi, adding, “Dlamini also sustained injuries, as he stabbed himself.” — Wires
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