Online Reporter
B-Metro Reporter
A TRAIL of brutal killings linked to mentally challenged suspects is leaving Zimbabwe in shock, with police warning communities to be on high alert.
The latest horror occurred in Tengwe, Karoi, where a man described as a mental health patient turned into a killer. On 18 August, Patrick Makufa allegedly went on the rampage in Makoni Village, striking his neighbour, Constaine Mabheka (55), several times on the head with an axe handle. He then fatally bludgeoned a four-year-old boy, Kunashe Mabheka, before ambushing teenager Atilda Mharadze (19). All three died on the spot.
Police said they had arrested Makufa after the triple killing.
In a statement, national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed:
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police is concerned with murder cases involving individuals with mental health challenges across the country. The public is urged to exercise caution, particularly when interacting with individuals with mental health challenges. We implore families and guardians to seek professional help and ensure that they receive the necessary support and treatment on time.”
The Tengwe bloodbath is not an isolated case. It adds to a disturbing trend stretching across provinces.
In Matabeleland South last week, Madlambuzi villagers were left traumatised after a local man, also suspected to be mentally ill, killed five neighbours in cold blood. Survivors told of how he moved from homestead to homestead attacking his victims without mercy, leaving behind pools of blood and shattered families.
Barely days later in Gokwe South, another man shocked the nation after allegedly killing his aunt and setting her body on fire in a fit of rage. The accused was also believed to be struggling with mental instability.
From Madlambuzi to Gokwe and now Tengwe, the killings are spread across the country, underlining that mental illness and its deadly consequences know no geographical boundaries.
The police have raised the red flag, urging communities not to ignore warning signs.
“These tragedies show why families must ensure relatives battling mental illness get timely medical help before disaster strikes,” warned Nyathi.
As more rural villages grapple with grief, a grim question hangs in the air: how many more lives must be lost before mental health gets the urgent attention it deserves?
