Zimbabwe: Masvingo student kidnaps neighbour’s 10-year-old son to sell his head for rituals

Masvingo is the capital of Masvingo Province and located in southeastern Zimbabwe. A gruesome crime was averted, it could have cost an innocent 10-year-old boy his life.

Happily the boy escaped unharmed but the warning is clear: be vigilant. Moreover, there is an obvious need to educate people, especially young people, not to be believe in money rituals. It is sad that four years after the Tapiwa Makore case which shocked the entire nation still people believe that one can get rich quick by performing ritualistic acts including murder.
(FVDK).

Screenshot from post on X (formerly Twitter) by @MasvingoMedia

Masvingo student kidnaps neighbour’s 10-year-old son to sell his head for rituals

Screenshot from post on X (formerly Twitter) by @MasvingoMedia

Published: October 19, 2024
By: Chris Matambanadzo – iHarare, Zimbabwe

In a disturbing event that underscores the need for parents to be cautious about whom they trust with their children, an 18-year-old student from Masvingo disappeared with his 10-year-old neighbour for three days.

The 18-year-old who is a Form 4 student at Vision Academy in Masvingo confessed that he had kidnapped his neighbour’s 10-year-old son to take him to Chipinge. He alleges that he had clients in Chipinge who were eagerly waiting to use the 10-year-old boy, only identified as Tawana for money rituals.

The 18-year-old, identified as Peter, admitted during a police interrogation that he had planned to take the boy, named Tawana, to clients in Chipinge who had requested the child’s head for a ritual.

“Pandakatora mwana uyu vanga vanditi tsvaga musoro uuye nawo,” Peter says before Tawana’s grandmother wails uncontrollably in the background.

A Mother’s Despair and Warnings Ignored

Tawana’s mother, who is recording the video, angrily asks Peter if he really took her son intending to have him sacrificed for money rituals.

“Saka waida kuenda kunochekeresa mwana wangu here iwe? Nhaiwe Peter iwe? Waida kunochekeresa mwana? Ndozvawaida kunoita nhaiwe Peter? Waida kunochekeresa Tawana? hausvodi nhaiwe? Akakutadzirei? Takakutadzirei isu? Hezvo! Zvaunoshura!,” Tawana’s mother asks in shock and disbelief.

Tawana’s mother also reprimanded her son for ignoring previous warnings about befriending someone Peter’s age.

“Tawana hanty ukunzwa shamwari yako iyi? Yawaigara uchipiwa warning kuti usatamba ne dhara iro. Chiona zvaraida kuita dhara rako raida kunokuurayisa iri,” she adds before the video abruptly ends.

Watch: Masvingo Teen Confesses to Sinister Plot

Attempts to reach Masvingo Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa for comment were unsuccessful at the time of writing. You can watch the Form 4 student from Masvingo confessing to kidnapping his neighbour’s son for ritual purposes below:

An 18 year old form 4 student at Vision Academy in Msv confessing that he disapeared with a 10 yr old neighbour for 3 days intending to go with him to Chipinge were his clients were waiting for the minor’ head for ritual purposes. pic.twitter.com/avQpNbchjx

— Media Centre Masvingo (@MasvingoMedia) October 19, 2024

Source: Form 4 Masvingo Student Kidnaps Neighbour’s 10-Year-Old Son to Sell His Head for Rituals