A 20-YEAR-OLD man from Gokwe who cold bloodedly axed five
people to death in Binga last Friday was arrested the following day when he
attended a funeral wake for his victims and tried to light a fire to roast
mealies.
Christopher Gotore allegedly killed Mr Admire Nyangarai,
whose age was not given, his wife Ms Bibeat Munsaka (23) and the couple’s
one-year-old baby Loice Compassion Nyangarai, who was axed while on her
mother’s back.
Others are Ms Chiravigwa Shumba who is the accused’s aunt
from Makope Village under Chief Sayi in Gokwe and a seven-year-old boy, Shan
Sibanda.
The murders happened within a few minutes of each
other at two homesteads in Marangana
Village under Chief Sinamagonde, in Lusulu, Binga. Gotore allegedly torched a
bedroom hut before butchering a cow and a calf belonging to his brother-in-law
Mr Bruce Sibanda in whose homestead he stayed.
Police have confirmed the murder but the motive for the
killings is not yet clear.
The bodies were expected in Lusulu yesterday evening ahead
of burial today, villagers said.
Gotore disappeared after the grisly killings and returned
the following day when he asked for matches from mourners saying he wanted to
roast some mealies.
“He was arrested by police who were at the funeral wake and
was expected to appear in court yesterday,” said a villager.
Ms Shumba had visited her niece Ms Patience Gotore, Mr
Sibanda’s wife and Shan’s mother.
They said Gotore arrived in Lusulu to live with his sister
two years ago. Mr Sibanda and his wife fled from the scene after failing
to disarm Gotore who charged at them.
Their other son, Tawanda, narrowly escaped when Gotore
allegedly axed Shan in a bedroom hut they shared with the accused.
Marangana village head Mr Bhindi Mambo Mudimba said Gotore
was one of the villagers who illegally settled in his area after being given
land by a neighbouring village head.
“Those people are illegal settlers who were given land by a
neighbouring village head. We reported the matter to Chief Sinamagonde and we
have appeared before him and the case is still pending. The people settled in
our grazing area which used to be under Campfire and are disrespectful. The
Chief and council are seized with the matter,” he said.
Chief Sinamagonde concurred saying he was shocked.
“I am still in shock. What worries me is that these people
are illegal settlers. I have tasked some village heads to find them a place
where they will be buried because they cannot be buried in the same area where
they settled. We have been trying to evict them but they have refused to
vacate,” he said.
Kabuba Councillor Romeo Mugande said Gotore would sometimes
visit the Nyangarai family at night to kill time with the family as a
neighbour. Chronicle
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