A suspected serial killer’s court hearing revealed a year of pure horror in rural Zimbabwe. The details came out as Anymore Zvitsva, a thirty-three year old man, faced charges in Harare Magistrates Court. He is accused of killing nineteen people across eight murder counts, plus rape and attempted murder. Appearing from a bed at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, he was remanded in custody by provincial magistrate Vakayi Chikwekwe. He did not enter a plea and was told bail requests must go to a higher court. His case was pushed to next year for official indictment.
The prosecutor, Lawrence Gangarahwe, laid out a brutal timeline starting in March. In Rangwani Village, Zvitsva allegedly broke into a home, chased Jane Dube into a cornfield, and killed her with an iron rod. The next month in Nyakapupu, he reportedly forced Modester Isaac into the bushes, raped her, then strangled her with a wire and left her body hanging from a tree. By October, Alice Marangarire was ambushed with a machete and strangled. In Mubaiwa Village, two people, Elisha Dickens Chikwavarara and Dudzai Mazuvaawanda, were attacked while walking to their garden. One was killed immediately, the other was strangled and also hanged from a tree.
The violence seemed to accelerate near the end of the year. On a single night at a farm called Nyakapupu, Zvitsva allegedly forced his way into a two-room house. He strangled three women, Megina Chizema, Stacey Pulango, and Allet Kavhura, one after another, with a wire snare as they slept. Days later in Zimuna Village, he did the same thing in a one-room home, killing Pamela Chipangura, Kudzai Chipangura, Tawanda Jariwa, and Tadiwanashe Marasika. He then kidnapped Marasika, raped her on a mountain, and killed her when she tried to run.
One victim survived an attack, which later helped crack the case. Fortune Mwazha was strangled with a wire at her shop at Zvivindi Business Centre and left for dead, but she lived. Another horrific incident targeted his own family at Wona Farm. He allegedly stabbed his aunt Grace Zvitsva and three others in a bedroom, after first stabbing a relative in a kitchen hut.
The final alleged crime happened in Bosha village. After threatening two sisters, Shallome and Mavis Malunga, he broke into a home. He dragged Saujati Matora to another room and strangled her. He then raped Shallome Malunga before killing her, too. Her sister Mavis survived by hiding under a bed throughout the entire attack, becoming another key witness.
The suspect remains in hospital custody awaiting his next court date.
The prosecutor, Lawrence Gangarahwe, laid out a brutal timeline starting in March. In Rangwani Village, Zvitsva allegedly broke into a home, chased Jane Dube into a cornfield, and killed her with an iron rod. The next month in Nyakapupu, he reportedly forced Modester Isaac into the bushes, raped her, then strangled her with a wire and left her body hanging from a tree. By October, Alice Marangarire was ambushed with a machete and strangled. In Mubaiwa Village, two people, Elisha Dickens Chikwavarara and Dudzai Mazuvaawanda, were attacked while walking to their garden. One was killed immediately, the other was strangled and also hanged from a tree.
The violence seemed to accelerate near the end of the year. On a single night at a farm called Nyakapupu, Zvitsva allegedly forced his way into a two-room house. He strangled three women, Megina Chizema, Stacey Pulango, and Allet Kavhura, one after another, with a wire snare as they slept. Days later in Zimuna Village, he did the same thing in a one-room home, killing Pamela Chipangura, Kudzai Chipangura, Tawanda Jariwa, and Tadiwanashe Marasika. He then kidnapped Marasika, raped her on a mountain, and killed her when she tried to run.
One victim survived an attack, which later helped crack the case. Fortune Mwazha was strangled with a wire at her shop at Zvivindi Business Centre and left for dead, but she lived. Another horrific incident targeted his own family at Wona Farm. He allegedly stabbed his aunt Grace Zvitsva and three others in a bedroom, after first stabbing a relative in a kitchen hut.
The final alleged crime happened in Bosha village. After threatening two sisters, Shallome and Mavis Malunga, he broke into a home. He dragged Saujati Matora to another room and strangled her. He then raped Shallome Malunga before killing her, too. Her sister Mavis survived by hiding under a bed throughout the entire attack, becoming another key witness.
The suspect remains in hospital custody awaiting his next court date.
