Police have arrested Thubelithle Khoshow (26) in connection with cases of Murder and Rape which occurred on October 9 at around 0300 hours at Stone Clare, Redcliff, Kwekwe.
Thubelihle who is alleged to be mentally challenged went berserk and killed six congregants while injuring some at a shrine in Rutendo.
“The ZRP reports that a 26-year-old man stabbed six people to death and injured four others on 9/10/21 at around 0300 hrs at Stoneclere, Rutendo suburb in Redcliff, after a suspected mental illness while attending an all-night prayer at a local apostolic shrine,” Ass Comm Nyathi said.
On the said date, the suspect who is a member of the Johane Masowe sect became mentally disturbed and acted violently whilst at his residential place at Stone Clare, Redcliff, Kwekwe. As a result, he was ferried by his aunt to the church’s shrine for prayers.
Whilst at the shrine, the suspect became violent and began to uproot trees as well as pushing stationery vehicles. The church congregants managed to subdue him and tied him with some ropes.
In the morning, whilst other church members were still asleep, the suspect woke up and freed himself. He got into his vehicle and drove to his house where he did not find his wife.
The suspect armed himself with three spears, a kitchen knife as well as an axe, went to his uncle’s home where he smashed the front dining room door using an unknown object and gained entry into the house.
His uncle and other family members escaped through the bedroom window leaving four children and two cousins sleeping in the dining room.
They later returned to their house and found their children lying unconscious with multiple stab wounds. As a result, they sought refuge at a police officer’s house who live nearby.
The suspect followed them to the police officer’s house where he stabbed the police officer on the back with a spear.
He further seriously injured three other people and fatally stabbed a 33-year-old man.
The suspect returned to his residence and stabbed to death two female adults aged 56 and 85 before raping his uncle’s wife.
The injured were referred to Kwekwe General Hospital where three juveniles aged 7,3 and 7 months died on admission.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police urges members of the public to cautiously treat any violent person in their communities and urgently report any such violent people to their nearest police stations.