Another witness into the murder of Tapiwa Makore has denied her earlier statement that she bought human remains of the deceased from suspected killer Tafadzwa Shamba.
Shamba is jointly charged with Tapiwa Makore Senior, Maud Hunidzarira and Thanks Makore.
Joiner Tangirire said she never bought any human remains but beef from Shamba.
Tangirire also told High Court Judge Justice Munamato Mutevedzi that Shamba always sold meat to her in exchange for beer.
This was after Albert Masamha asked Tangirire to respond to claims that she bought human remains from Shamba.
"l never told the police that, I only said that Shamba came on September 18 selling beef which he exchanged for some home brewed beer worth US$3 and the meat was fresh. When I cooked and ate it, it tasted like beef. I never at any point suspected that it was human meat. I do not know where the police got that information from," Tangirire said.
Another witness Julia Kamunda also denied her initial statement, and has been declared a hostile witness.
Kamunda changed her statement saying she made the statements fearing torture by police detectives.
- Makore murder witness denies statement
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She had told the police that Makore Snr had given her son US$5 and a green T-Shirt as a token of appreciation for helping Shamba by luring his cousin.
However, she retracted her statement during trial by saying,
“I was scared of being assaulted by the police. That is why I wrote what I said in the statement. I had seen that my husband and my then 11-year-old had been beaten up and I was scared of being beaten up too.”
Meanwhile, Shamba who is being represented by Moses Mavhaire and Mutsa Chivandire from Chivandire, Mavhaire and Zinto law chambers is objecting the tendering in as evidence the indications he made whilst allegedly admitting to murdering of the minor.
The indications include statements he made admitting to killing the minor by slitting his throat, cutting off his limbs and throwing his legs in a pit toilet.
The lawyers allege that the statements were made under undue influence as the police had allegedly severely assaulted him.
The trial continues tomorrow before Justice Mutevedzi.
The deceased was allegedly murdered by his uncles in September two years ago in Nyamutumbu village, Murehwa, for alleged ritual purposes.
His body was later found dismembered with the head and limbs missing.
