ZIMBABWE: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RITUAL MURDER

March 23, 2012: in Zimbabwe, Justice Martin Makonese sentenced Colgate Buffen Mudenda to death by hanging for ritual murder. A 19 year old man was murdered for his blood by Mudenda who later sold it for US$700, a court heard. Innocent Mudimba was abducted from his parents’ home in Sikaputa 2 Village in Binga on May 4 last year by a group of men. They dragged him a short distance where they slit his throat and collected his blood in a container, a Bulawayo High Court judge on circuit in Hwange heard.
Fighting for his life, Mudimba was dumped back at the doorstep of his sleeping hut and died clutching his neck with both hands.
Justice Martin Makonese told killer Colgate Buffen Mudenda, 34, that he had “shown to mercy for his victim” as he sentenced him to death by hanging.
“You are an evil man driven by greed. You can use your remaining time on earth to reflect on your actions and may God help you,” Makonese told Mudenda.
In a statement he made to the police, which was read in court, Mudenda stated that he had abducted the victim with the help of four other men – Petros Mudimba, Bhilo Nyathi, Peter Mudenda and Chiyanembo Mwinde.
“I later approached Daniel Mudimba, who had promised me some money if I killed someone and brought him their blood,” he said in the statement.
The court heard that Mudimba, a local businessman, paid US$700 for the blood, and Colgate had given US$50 to one of his wives before spending a similar amount on drink and gambling. He said after word spread that he was a killer, he had hid US$600 underground in a mountain near Bulawayo Kraal. Prosecutor Khumbulani Ndlovu, assisted by Nonhlanhla Ndlovu, produced a post mortem report which showed the victim died from haemorrhagic shock as a result of a neck stabbing. Colgate pleaded not guilty to murder but was convicted by Justice Makonese.  Police are still pursuing a case against the other men implicated in the slaying. (Sources: www.newzimbabwe.com, 25/03/2012)