84-year-old Mt Darwin mother beaten to death by sons buried 

Phyllis Kachere in
Mt Darwin

The 84-year-old mother who was beaten to death by her two sons on February 26, was yesterday buried at Chidyauswa Village in Mt Darwin.

Mourners gathered in disbelief, wondering how Gogo Midrone Manuwere’s (née Kararira) two sons, Aleck (40) and Edson (39) Chandoza, killed her in cold blood.

Her daughter Ms Tawanda Chandoza (36) narrated to the mourners how her two brothers followed their mother to her village in Tsayi and attacked her during the night while accusing her of witchcraft and causing them misfortune.

Her son-in-law and the Salvation Army pastor Major Collin Mafusire, who is married to Gogo Midrone’s daughter Hilda, told mourners that in 2017 Aleck, who is the slain mother’s first born out of her 11 children, secured the doors from outside with barbed wire and set two kitchen huts on fire, believing she was in one of them.

“Fortunately, our mother had left earlier, unbeknown to Aleck,” said Mr Mafusire.

The incident was reported to the police outpost at Bveke, but no arrests were made.

Tawanda said Aleck disappeared for a while, but resurfaced later.

Tawanda also said in 2021, Aleck threatened her with violence and told her that he would attack her with a machete.

She reported the matter to the Bveke police outpost, but no arrest was made.

Villagers and some family members told The Herald that they were now scared Aleck might attack them since he was still on the run.

“I am not sure why police have not yet arrested Aleck despite previous numerous reports of violence. We heard that they said they have no resources to track down Aleck,” said a neighbour who declined to be identified.

Edson is now in police custody.

The burial was attended by the Salvation Army leadership because Gogo Midrone was designated Silver Star Mother because her daughter Hilda is a pastor in the church

Mt Darwin East House of Assembly representative Cde Norman Marikisi, who also attended the burial, condemned the violence.

“I am particularly pained that we are burying Gogo Midrone in a month (March) which is designated Women’s Month,” he said.

“We must protect women, the givers of life. I urge the leadership to condemn false prophets who are causing disharmony in families.”

Post mortem results showed that Gogo Midrone suffered a broken skull during the attack.

When her body arrived at the family homestead, there were reports of Aleck having been sighted and having issued threats of violence to the mourners.

Narrating the events that transpired on February 26 at around 11pm when the brothers attacked and killed their mother, Tawanda told the mourners that Edson and Aleck followed their mother to her home in Tsayi  Village.

Her other son was not feeling well.

Tawanda said she heard unusual movements outside the house. One of the brothers opened a window to the kitchen hut before forcibly entering the hut.

Tawanda managed to identify the pair because they were using a torch. Aleck struck his sister twice on the head with a log and the mother asked why they were assaulting her.

Aleck then turned on the mother and said that he was in fact looking for her for using witchcraft and causing misfortunes in their lives.

They then struck her on the head with a log and Tawanda managed to flee and lock herself in a bedroom hut.

Tawanda started screaming for help and the brothers fled after realising that she had alerted their neighbours.

Villagers rushed to the scene and found the mother lying on the floor bleeding from the head. They tried to render first aid to no avail and she was rushed to Karanda Hospital where she died upon arrival.

Tawanda, who sustained a deep cut, was admitted but is now discharged from the hospital.

Addington Chandoza, who is also Gogo Midrone’s son, said he was angry that police failed to protect their mother from his brothers.

“If the police had acted when reports were made, our mother could still be alive. Right now, Aleck is still roaming, further endangering our family,” said Addington