The ManicaPost
Liberty Dube Weekender Correspondent
A NYANGA family is in the eye of a ritual storm after one of its members allegedly murdered a local woman, became intimate with the corpse before cutting her body parts and handed them to a local businessman.
Johannes Samungure admitted to killing Eva
Johannes Samungure revealed the spine-chilling murder during an avenging spirit appeasement ceremony in Village Eight in Nyajezi Resettlement Scheme last Saturday. The family was appeasing the spirit of Eva Mandikwaza killed in the same area in 2004.
Apparently Johannes killed Mandikwaza together with Israel Makape after the latter was approached by a local businessman (name withheld) to kill a human being and get body parts to enhance his supermarket and grinding mill businesses.
The Weekender learnt that Makape colluded in committed the heinous crime because he had impregnated Eva and was trying to gag her from revealing the adulterous affair to villagers since he was married. Makape and Samungure cut Eva’s tongue, fingers, breasts, womb and brains before sucking her blood.
Samungure also became intimate with Eva’s corpse before they handed over the body parts to the businessman.
Mandikwaza’s unsettled spirit manifested through her aunt claiming that she wanted 11 beasts and a goat as well as $400. She also demanded $200 for groceries to appease her spirit.
The case which was earlier heard at Chief Saunyama’s court drew scores of villagers who gathered at Samungure’s homestead where popular traditional healer and exorcist, Shingirai Mukotsanjera conducted the session.
Samungure revealed to The Weekender, which was present during the appeasement session that he was intimate with Mandikwaza’s corpse as part of the ritual process so that she would not wreak havoc in his family.
“The businessman approached Makape to kill anyone in the village and surrender to him the person’s body parts and blood. Makape engaged my services and we pounced on Eva since she was carrying his baby. He wanted her dead because he could not keep the promise he had made earlier on that he would marry her despite him being married to another woman. We killed her and removed her tongue, some of her fingers, breasts, womb and brains. I became intimate with her when she was already dead as part of the rituals. Makape left for South Africa soon after the incident,” he said.
Samungure’s family revealed that they were suffering several misdemeanors and calamities because of the ritual killing.
“We decided to appease Eva’s spirit because of mysterious deaths and illnesses that were plaguing our clan. We have almost everything that the Mandikwaza family needs, including money and livestock and we believe that the problems will come to an end,” said one of the eldest family members.
Mandikwaza, speaking through her aunt said it was unfortunate that Samungure and Makape decided to kill her for rituals because she was carrying the latter’s pregnancy, which he was denying responsibility.
“Makape was married, but he impregnated me. We were deeply in love and he had promised to marry me. He showed me a stand where he said we would stay together after our marriage. I was two months pregnant when he decided to kill me. I remember it was on a Friday. As usual, we met and started talking. He grabbed me and tripped me to the ground. He said it was the end of my life. He was with Samungure who cut my throat before cutting my privates as well as fingers. Samungure went on to sleep with me even though I was dead.
“My spirit never rested till today where he is paying for his sins. I will go on to torment Makape’s family until he comes back from wherever he is,” her spirit said through her aunt.
Said village head, Mr Jeremiah Mukotsanjera: “We were all left shell-shocked when the incident happened back then. Yes, the businessman in question is still alive, but he is now dead broke. By then, he was so rich and powerful. Everyone respected him, not until when this issue came to light, thanks to the exorcist and traditional healer, Shingirai with the assistance of Chief Saunyama who have been doing a lot to make sure that such cases of ritual killings comes to light.”
Acting Chief Saunyama, said it was refreshing that the Samungure family had decided to appease Mandikwaza’s spirit.
“It was long overdue. Mandikwaza’s spirit was tormenting the Samungures. The case was heard at my court after the deceased’s family approached us over the issue. We engaged Mukotsanjera to lead the appeasement ceremony. There are numerous cases of that nature in my area, some of them were committed decades ago,” he said.
The Mandikwaza family confirmed that they buried Eva without some body parts.
