Dark cloud of ritual killings envelopes Manicaland
In what could be compared to a macabre horror movie, people in some parts of Manicaland province are living in mortal fear of ritual killings by a suspected syndicate comprising businesspeople and faith healers.
Names of the suspects have been bandied around but police say they do not have incontrovertible evidence linking them to the crimes. But panicky villagers insist the syndicate is behind the suspected ritual murders.
A viral audio, whose authenticity could not be established, implicates three individuals.
In the audio, an unidentified man, who is understood to have been cornered by villagers, is heard confessing that he had been recruited by the syndicate to commit the gory murders. He claims that the first person he and other members of his gang killed was Tinashe Rupapa from Honde Valley’s Pimai area.
“My duty was to befriend him so that I could brief other guys about his movements.
“We threw him in Pungwe River after killing him.”
The man went on to name members of the gang he allegedly worked with. Investigations by The Sunday Mail revealed that a woman, who is believed to be a leader of the syndicate, has been accused of ritual killings before, as she was investigated by the police in 2019.
