Online Reporter
NKULUMANE residents were left in both shock and awe after a naked elderly woman mysteriously appeared inside a yard in the dead of night.
Many were convinced she had crash-landed while on a witchcraft mission gone wrong.
The bizarre incident occurred around 4am at a house in Nkulumane 12, near the housing office.
Precious Ndlovu said she heard a strange rattling sound outside her bedroom window and initially thought it was her dog.
“At first, I thought it was my dog knocking something over,” Ndlovu said, still visibly shaken.
“But when I peeked through the window, I nearly fainted. There she was — an old woman, completely naked, lying in my yard as if she had fallen from the clouds.”
Ndlovu screamed in terror, waking the neighbourhood.
“I could not go outside alone. I was too scared. I waited for my neighbours to come,” she said.
Two brave neighbours rushed over, only to be greeted by the shocking sight.
“I could not sleep that night. Every sound makes me think another witch is about to fall from the sky,” Ndlovu said.
The mysterious woman, later identified as Lucy Ngwenya from Madlelanyoni in Ntabazinduna, was unable to speak.
She reportedly told gathered residents that she fell from a flying saucer while on a witching expedition and that her coven (other witches) had abandoned her.
“It was creepy,” said one neighbour.
“Her mouth moved, but no words came out. She ended up scribbling her name and address on a piece of paper as if her tongue was frozen.”
Ngwenya reportedly mumbled incoherently when asked why she was naked.
The drama thickened when residents noticed damage to Ndlovu’s perimeter wall, with cracks and a dent suggesting Ngwenya had fallen with force.
“It is the only explanation. She must have been flying and lost control. Witches are real — this proves it,” whispered another resident.
Police later escorted Ngwenya to safety, but the community remains gripped with fear.
However, in a late twist, a resident forwarded a message to this publication saying the woman was not a witch but was suffering from dementia.
“She was seen recently at the robots (traffic lights) in Tshabalala and appeared to be contemplating suicide. My mother took her to the Tshabalala Police Station. She must have somehow left the station and stripped naked,” said the woman, who declined to be named. — Bulawayo Bureau
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Nyamandlovu man sentenced for indecent assault of minor
A 47-year-old Nyamandlovu man has been sentenced after he was convicted of indecent assault involving a four-year-old early childhood development (ECD) learner.
Douglas Dube of Mboleni village was slapped with a 24-month prison sentence by Bulawayo magistrate Maxwell Ncube.
Six months were suspended on condition of good behaviour, which means he will serve 18 months behind bars.
Representing the State, prosecutor Mehluli Ndlovu proved that on June 25, the complainant, a learner at Deli Primary School, was walking to school when she met Dube.
He allegedly grabbed her hand and told her he loved her.
Despite her protests, Dube lifted the child and carried her to a nearby bush, where he reportedly unzipped his trousers and exposed himself.
He then instructed the minor to perform inappropriate acts while also kissing her nose.
After the incident, Dube carried the child on his back and escorted her home.
Upon arrival, the complainant disclosed the incident to her brother, who then informed their grandmother.
On June 30, the complainant and her grandmother reported the matter to the Zimbabwe Republic Police in Nyamandlovu. — B-Metro
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Woman conspires with boyfriend to kill stepmom
Police in Tsholotsho have launched a manhunt for a woman and her boyfriend following the alleged murder of her stepmother, whose body was buried in a shallow grave.
The shocking incident occurred in May at the Magotsha Line, but the gruesome discovery was only made on September 2 when police exhumed the victim’s remains from a backyard garden.
The suspects, identified as Linnar Muzimela (34) and her boyfriend known only as Nkosi, are accused of killing 58-year-old Jenifer Dube in cold blood before secretly burying her body.
Police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the case and appealed to the public for assistance.
“We are appealing for information that may lead to the arrest of Linnar Muzimela and her boyfriend Nkosi,” said Comm Nyathi.
“They are wanted in connection with a case of murder in which the victim, Muzimela’s stepmother, was killed and buried in a shallow grave at Magotsha Line.”
Sources close to the investigation revealed that neighbours had grown suspicious after Jenifer disappeared for several weeks.
Acting on a tip-off, police conducted a search and discovered the shallow grave.
The authorities have urged anyone with information on the matter to report to the nearest police station.
The motive behind the murder remains under investigation as the search for the fugitive couple intensifies. — Bulawayo Bureau
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Raffingora man handed 15 years in jail for raping granny
A 23-year-old man from Raffingora has been sentenced to 15 years in prison by a Chinhoyi court after being convicted of raping a woman aged 63.
The identity of the accused was withheld to protect the victim’s privacy.
The incident occurred in May 2025 at the victim’s home.
On the day in question, the victim had been sharing a beer with the man inside her kitchen hut when he briefly excused himself, claiming he was heading home.
Moments later, he returned, forced the woman back into the hut and raped her.
The crime came to light when the victim’s daughter-in-law, alerted by a noise, opened the door and found the man standing outside.
Upon entering the kitchen, she discovered the victim in tears.
“The victim revealed the offence to her,” stated the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe.
Following the disclosure, a village head advised the woman to report the matter to the police, which led to the man’s arrest. — Mashonaland West Bureau
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Man viciously attacks brother-in-law with an axe
A Woodville man, George Nyawo (31), was fined US$200 by a Bulawayo magistrate for brutally assaulting his brother-in-law Arthur Dube with the back of an axe.
The attack, which occurred on July 29, 2025, left Dube with painful injuries.
According to prosecutor Mehluli Ndlovu, Nyawo and an unidentified accomplice stormed Dube’s home.
Without warning, he grabbed Dube by the collar and struck him with the back of an axe on the left cheek.
The assault continued with more blows on the back of Dube’s legs as the accomplice joined in.
Dube was eventually able to break free and flee, fearing for his life. He reported the incident to the police, leading to Nyawo’s arrest.
The accomplice is still at large.
The court’s decision to fine Nyawo rather than imprison him has drawn mixed reactions, with some believing the punishment is too lenient for the violent crime.
Meanwhile, police are searching for the accomplice as family tensions remain high. — Bulawayo Bureau
