Tsholotsho man murders 73-year-old granny over witchcraft

A 41-year-old man from Butabubili area in Tsholotsho District, Matabeleland North Province yesterday appeared in court charged with murder after he allegedly fatally assaulted a 73-year-old granny, accusing her of witchcraft.

Moses Ndlovu appeared for routine remand before Tsholotsho resident magistrate Mr Maxwell Ncube and was remanded in custody to 12 June.

The State represented by Ms Nobuhle Mguni opposed bail arguing that Ndlovu might abscond given that he is facing a serious crime.

Ms Mguni told the court that on 30 May 2026, shortly after 9pm, Ndlovu went to Mrs Grace Mpofu’s homestead and found her asleep in her bedroom hut.

“He accused Mrs Mpofu of being a witch and started assaulting her with an electrical switch.The deceased tried to flee but he followed her and this time used a big stick to assault her,” said Ms Mguni.

The deceased’s son, Mr Daniel Mpofu, who is a neighbour, heard the screams and rushed to the scene only to find his mother being flogged by the accused.

“He stood a few metres away and watched as his mother was being mercilessly attacked by the accused,” said Ms Mguni.

She said the accused said he wanted to kill Mrs Mpofu because she was bewitching him and thereafter he wanted to kill all the witches in the village.

Ms Mguni said the deceased’s son later tried to restrain the accused but he threatened to kill him.

“The deceased’s son left the scene and rushed to the accused’s place of residence to call the accused’s younger brother, Mr Mthabisi Ndlovu, to help him restrain the accused. Mthabisi then came and stopped the accused person from further assaulting the deceased. He then took the accused away,” the court heard.

Ms Mguni said on 31 May the condition of the deceased deteriorated and was rushed to Tsholotsho District Hospital but died on the way. The matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of the accused.

The incident comes barely a month after a gang of five men from Bulawayo allegedly stabbed to death a man with an okapi knife over an undisclosed reason. Nkazimulo Sibanda (23) of Lower Rangemore, Jethro Dube (25) of Emthunzini, and Andile Ngwenya (22) of Emthunzini were arrested while two other suspects are on the run. Sibanda, Dube, and Ngwenya appeared before Western Commonage Provincial resident magistrate Mr Jeconia Prince Ncube facing a murder charge and were remanded in custody to tomorrow.