Mutasa man in dock for unspeakable heist — stealing panties

MUTASA district recently found itself at the centre of a scandal that left the community bemused.

In a weird turn of events, Taremekedzwa Kuodza has accused his neighbour, Robert Mtetwa, of committing the unthinkable: stealing his wife’s panties, bras and petticoats under the cover of darkness.

According to Kuodza, the theft of his wife’s undergarments was an act he believed was motivated by something far more sinister than mere mischief: witchcraft.

“What else could they want with my wife’s petticoat? Surely, not to wear it!” Kuodza exclaimed during a heated session at Chief Mutasa’s community court.

Recounting the events of the fateful night of November 8, 2024, Kuodza explained how he had returned home to find his door ajar and a bag moved from the bedroom to the kitchen.

The next morning, the unsettling discovery was made: several pieces of his wife’s undergarments were missing.

Suspicion quickly fell on Mtetwa when, the following day, he returned some of the missing items, claiming he had “picked them up”.

However, when questioned about how he knew the garments belonged to Kuodza’s wife, Mtetwa’s answers raised more questions than they resolved.

Driven by a mix of outrage and fear, Kuodza sought justice through traditional channels, bringing the matter before Chief Mutasa’s court.

The proceedings took an unexpected turn when Mtetwa initially admitted to the theft, claiming he was acting on the orders of his associate, Phillip Dumbura, to whom he had allegedly handed over the stolen items.

Yet, as the court session unfolded, Mtetwa recanted his statement, insisting that his earlier admission had been coerced.

“I have already served jail time for this matter, but the truth is, I did not do anything wrong,” Mtetwa told the court.

He alleged that Kuodza and others had threatened him, leaving him with no choice but to confess and implicate Dumbura in a bid to appease his accusers.

“As for the clothes I returned to Kuodza’s wife, I had found them on a path near their home. I knew they belonged to them because of a hat in the bag that Kuodza often wears. I thought I was doing the right thing by returning them, but somehow, I became the bad guy in the story,” he added.

Meanwhile, Dumbura vehemently denied any involvement in the incident. He distanced himself from Mtetwa, claiming their relationship was no more than a casual acquaintance.

Dumbura further asserted that he was not even in the area when the alleged theft occurred, expressing frustration at being implicated in what he described as a baseless accusation.

As the court session came to a close, Chief Mutasa directed Headman Medzani to mediate the matter and help bring closure to a case that has bewildered the community and sparked endless debate.