SEVENTEEN members of the Matahwa family were on Thursday hauled before the Mutare Magistrates’ Court to face murder charges following allegations that they teamed up to fatally assault a fellow villager.
Report by Obey Manayiti
The 17 — all men including four minors — are members of the Matahwa family from Mutete village.
They briefly appeared for initial remand and 13 of them were granted $10 bail each while the minors were released into their father’s custody by Mutare magistrate Noel Gwatidzo.
Initially the State had proposed $50 each as bail, but the magistrate said the condition of the accused persons was a special case and they might not be able to each raise the amount.
Charges against the 17 are that on June 7 this year in their village, they teamed up and took turns to assault Banarbas Mandeya with sticks and switches all over his body accusing him of murdering their relative.
Following the protracted assault at the hands of the accused, Mandeya finally succumbed at the Matahwas’ homestead. According to the State, the 17 were seen taking the deceased from his homestead to theirs.
They were seen taking turns to assault him.
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The body of the deceased was also found on their homestead during investigations.
They were ordered to report once every Friday at Ruda Police Station. They will appear in court on June 26.
