A 22-year-old man from Kuwadzana 7 in Harare, is in police custody following the brutal murder of his 70-year-old grandmother, Agnes Duri.
The incident occurred in the early hours of December 26th, 2024 a few minutes after midnight.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirmed the arrest in a statement detailing the horrific events. “On 26th December 2024 at around 0100 hours and at a house in Kuwadzana 7, Harare, Nihipalakar Muyaya (22) allegedly assaulted his grandmother, Agnes Duri (70) with clenched fists and booted feet for not giving him a present during the Christmas period,” the statement read.
The assault, fuelled by Muyaya’s apparent anger over not receiving a Christmas gift, was tragically fatal. Agnes Duri was discovered lifeless in her room, blood emanating from her mouth and ears. The brutality of the attack is evident in the injuries sustained by the elderly woman.
“The victim was later found lying lifeless in her room with blood coming out of her mouth and ears,” the police statement confirmed. Muyaya was subsequently apprehended and is now facing charges related to the death of his grandmother.
However, the police statement only provides a partial picture of the alleged events. Neighbours and other sources have provided further, deeply disturbing details suggesting a far more sinister crime.
One neighbour, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that the first person to enter the house after the incident made a grim discovery: “While neighbours confirmed that the first witness to enter the house discovered that the deceased had no undergarments and her legs were opened. It is suspected that he could have killed after raping her.”
This account raises serious concerns about a possible sexual assault preceding the murder. The source further fuelled speculation about the possibility of ritualistic practices, suggesting Muyaya might have been under the influence of “Mutoriro,” a term often associated with traditional or ritualistic substances.
“The guy is into suspected Mutoriro and we suspect he might have been under the influence of the substance. He raped and killed her,” the source alleged.
Another neighbour corroborated the presence of Muyaya at the house, stating that he lived there with his grandmother and a tenant who was absent at the time of the incident. The neighbour also described the scene upon the arrival of the police:
“This guy is one of the grandchildren who stay at the house. They also stay with a tenant but anga asipo when this happened. When police arrived they tried to look kuti akashandisei, kuvauraya but some windows were broken. It is suspected that he used a weapon achibva akanda panze but iye ari kuti avarova nemambama, but she had blood on her mouth. She had a swollen face.”
This account suggests a possible struggle within the house, with broken windows hinting at a violent confrontation. While the suspect claimed to have only used his fists and feet, the presence of blood and a swollen face on the victim contradicts this claim, suggesting the possibility of a weapon being used, potentially discarded afterwards.
