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Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
THE 34-year-old suspected mentally challenged man from Lower Gweru who allegedly strangled his mother with his hands before fatally axing two neighbours in grisly murder attacks was on Friday hauled before the court.
Macala Tavengwa Chituso of Mafusini village, Chief Sogwala, Lower Gweru was not asked to plead when he appeared before Gweru magistrate Mr Tayengwa Chibanda facing murder charges.
Mr Chibanda remanded Chituso in custody to 21 October and advised him to apply for bail at the High Court.
The State led by Mr Michael Kazomba alleged that on Wednesday last week at around 2pm, Chituso killed his mother Julia Chituso (74), and sisters Emily (72) and Nancy Moyo (54).
On the fateful day, the court heard, Chituso who was staying alone went to his mother Julia Chituso’s homestead in the same village and found her sleeping in the kitchen.
Mr Kazomba said Chituso strangled her mother before arming himself with an axe and proceeded to Emily Moyo’s homestead. The court heard that on arrival, Chituso struck the now deceased Emily Moyo with an axe once on the head splattering the brains on the ground. He said Emily Moyo died instantly as a result of the assault.
Chituso then proceeded to Nancy Moyo’s homestead in the same village armed with the same axe and found her seated outside. Mr Kazomba told the court that Chituso struck her on the left side of her head and she died instantly.
Chituso, the State seeks to prove, then went after a 14-year-old herdboy brandishing the bloodied axe.
He was shouting that he had killed three people including his mother and wanted to kill three more.
Mr Kazomba said the boy went and reported the matter to the police while villagers teamed up to subdue Chituso and handed him over to the police.
The bodies of the deceased were taken to Gweru Provincial Hospital mortuary. Meanwhile, Chituso had violent tendencies and was a repeat offender after he was on 5 July convicted by Gweru magistrate Ms Florence Nago of malicious damage to property and sentenced him to eight months in prison for axing three head of cattle belonging to another villager.
Two months were suspended on condition of good behaviour while a further five months were suspended on condition he performed 175 hours of community service.
Online Reporter