Gweru brothers sentenced to 9 Years each over massacre of brother’s livestock sparked by witchcraft allegations
GWERU – Two Maginye village brothers have been slapped with effective 9-year prison sentences for slaughtering their brother’s oxen worth $500 in a vicious revenge attack sparked by witchcraft allegations.
Rasson Hove (38) and Moses Mudzingwa, (31) appeared before Gweru Magistrates’ Court on stock theft charges.
The State alleges that on November 10, 2024, at around 8:20 pm, a dispute arose at the complainant’s residence during a funeral where the Hove and Mudzingwa allegedly accused their brother of bewitching their deceased sibling.
The witchcraft accusation sparked a fierce argument, forcing the complainant to flee his homestead in fear.
After the complainant fled his homestead, Hove and Mudzingwa broke into his kraal and illegally slaughtered his cattle.
The duo then used the meat for the funeral feast and stored the remaining meat in the complainant’s bedroom.
The offenders were sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment with one year suspended conditional upon paying the complainant $250 each.
