A 20-year-old man from Gokwe axed to death five people, including a mother and her one-year-old baby that was strapped on her back in Lusulu, Binga, last week.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident and said police were preparing a comprehensive statement.
“On March 6 and at around 8 PM, the accused proceeded to Mr. Nyangarai’s homestead armed with an axe. Upon arrival, he set a bedroom hut on fire.
“Seeing that his house was on fire, Mr. Nyangarai went outside with a cellphone torch and Gotore allegedly struck him twice on the right shoulder, and he fell and died at the doorstep,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
He said Gotore then proceeded to a bedroom hut which he shared with Tawanda and Shan, where he allegedly fatally struck Shan twice on the head.
Gotore left the hut and went to a shed across the same homestead where Mr. Sibanda was sitting with his wife Ms. Gotore and Ms. Shumba.
Upon arrival at the shed, police said, Gotore struck Ms. Shumba once on the collarbone and the woman collapsed and died on the spot.
Mr. Sibanda tried to disarm him but was overpowered.
Mr. Sibanda and his wife fled from the scene with the accused in pursuit. He failed to catch the couple, police said.
Gotore allegedly walked back towards the homestead and proceeded to the cattle pen where he tied a cow to a tree before axing it to death. He also axed a calf. The two beasts belonged to Mr Sibanda.
Ms Munsaka, with her one year old baby strapped to her back, screamed for help while running towards Mr Sibanda’s bedroom hut to seek help after seeing that her husband had died, not knowing the couple had fled from the scene.
Police said Gotore chased after her into a maize field where after catching up with her, struck her with an axe several times causing her instant death. The baby was still on its dead mother’s back when Gotore struck it once on the shoulder causing its instant death.
