Mukumbura, Mt Darwin – A family in the Sabhuku Chikuyo village, within Chief Chiswiti’s area of authority in Mukumbura, Mt Darwin, is gripped by terror and profound grief following the gruesome murder of their relative, Norman Mangava (40). The man was not only beheaded, but his genitals, feet, and hands were also removed, leaving his headless and mutilated corpse to be discovered in the Mukumbura River.
The discovery was made earlier this week, leaving the community reeling from the sheer brutality of the crime. The victim’s naked body was found missing its head and other body parts, painting a horrifying picture for those who discovered it.
Police in Mashonaland Central have confirmed the incident and have launched an investigation, but details remain scarce. “Let me first speak with our police in Mukumbura to get full details regarding this case,” stated Inspector Milton Mundembe, the Mashonaland Central police spokesperson, indicating the early stage of the inquiry.
The Mangava family is understandably devastated. Letwin Mangava (45), Norman’s sister, spoke of their anguish. “Norman left home, leaving his mother, in mid-January, heading to the forests along the Mukumbura River where he would search for nhowa, edible caterpillars that resemble madora or harati,” she explained.
“On that fateful afternoon, he returned with a container filled with the caterpillars and rested at home. After a while, he told his mother again that he wanted to return to the forest to look for more nhowa, but she initially refused, after which he secretly left for the forest. He did not return until it was dark, prompting people to start searching for him,” she continued, recounting the last time the family saw Norman alive.
As darkness fell and Norman failed to return, the family’s worry escalated. “The entire village began searching for him in different places and reported the matter to the police in Mukumbura. He was missing for 14 days,” Letwin said. The search ended in the most tragic way imaginable.
“Some children herding cattle reportedly saw a human body in the Mukumbura River but were forbidden by their parents from speaking about it until the matter came to light. People went and found the body to be that of Norman Mangava, our brother, naked and without a head, genitals, feet, and hands,” Letwin revealed, her voice heavy with sorrow.
Adding to the mystery, the location where Norman’s body was found raises questions. “We don’t know why people didn’t see the body, leading us to suspect that it had been moved from another location,” Letwin explained. The body was discovered near a bridge leading to Pfunyanguwo Hospital, a busy area on the border between Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Further compounding the family’s suspicions, there was a significant distance between the body and Norman’s discarded clothing. “There was a distance of two kilometres or more between where the body was and where his clothes were found. We also saw the place where he had been sitting on a rock, eating wild fruits,” she added, suggesting a possible struggle or abduction.
The family was able to identify Norman by a distinctive scar on his back and a pair of shorts that were later recovered in the forest. However, his shirt remains missing.
The aftermath of the discovery has been a nightmare for the Mangava family. “After the body was discovered, the police came around 2 AM and took the headless body and other missing parts. They then told us to search for the head, which we searched for in the forests for four days without success,” Letwin said.
Customary and religious beliefs have added another layer of pain to their grief. “Gogo Ruth Mangava (63), Norman’s mother, and all of us relatives are grieving that the head of our relative was not found because, according to our culture, it is not acceptable for a person to be buried without their head,” Letwin explained.
The family’s traditional beliefs are further complicated by the stance of Norman’s church. “The members of his church, Johane Masowe YeNguwo Tsvuku, refused to build a grave for him because they say that according to their church law, a person buried without a head cannot have a grave built for them, nor can a memorial service be held for them,” she revealed.
The brutal nature of the crime has left the community living in fear. “We are now living in fear here because of what happened, as we do not know if these murderers are finished with Norman or if they will want to do it to others,” Letwin said, her voice filled with apprehension. “This is the first incident of its kind in our area, although we hear that there are some rapists who sometimes do it elsewhere. We also need people who can help us.”
Chipo Mangava (38), another of Norman’s sisters, echoed the family’s distress over the burial of their relative without his head, calling it a taboo. “Right now, the elders are being told that the head was cut off and wrapped in the shirt he was wearing, which we could not find, and taken away. We also need people who can help us to know where our relative’s head went,” she pleaded.
The case has evoked memories of another horrific crime in Zimbabwe. A few years ago, in Chief Mangwende’s area in Murehwa, a young boy named Tapiwa Makore (Jnr) was murdered and his body buried without its head after being killed by his uncle and a cattle herder, a stark reminder of the dark undercurrents that sometimes plague Zimbabwean society.
