TWO siblings from Chief Madziwa’s area in Mashonaland East province appeared at the High Court last week charged with killing their biological father accusing him of practising witchcraft.
BY CHARLES LAITON
The alleged incident occurred on May 2, 2017 at the deceased, Dais Nyapfere’s homestead.
The suspects, Bashneck and Simbarashe Nyapfere denied the murder charge when they appeared before High Court judge Justice Erica Ndewere.
It was the State’s case that on the day in question, the Nyapfere brothers left their respective homes and proceeded to their father’s residence where they allegedly raised the witchcraft allegations, resulting in a heated debate.
The accused then attacked their father indiscriminately in the presence of their stepmother, Rudo Machemedze.
In her evidence, Machemedze said her husband pleaded with his sons to stop attacking him but the duo allegedly continued and even tried to strangle him in the process.
In the ensuing melee, Simbarashe allegedly grabbed an axe handle, clubbed his father all over his body, while Bashneck continued to assault him with fists.
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The court heard that Machemedze left the scene shouting for help from neighbours and when she came back, the accused had left the scene.
Their father allegedly later succumbed to the assault injuries.
In their defence, the accused admitted striking both their father and his wife with an axe handle, but claimed they did not intend to kill him considering his advanced age.
The siblings said their father confessed to practising witchcraft, adding that his goblins were terrorising other family members.
