A 38-year-old artisanal miner from Gokwe has appeared in court facing charges of murder after he allegedly killed his one-year-old daughter for ritual purposes.

Thomas Muzenda is alleged to have killed his one-year-old daughter to boost his mining venture.

Muzenda is alleged to have been instructed by a traditional healer only identified as Dhumba to remove his daughter’s heart and hand it over for ritual purposes.

The court heard that Muzenda, who was the sole custodian of the child since his separation with wife, killed the girl with a knife before ripping out her heart and dumping the body in a disused well.

He has been remanded in custody to the 18th of this month and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.

The case comes just a month after Tafadzwa Shamba and Tapiwa Makore Senior of Murehwa were sentenced to death after being convicted of the murder of seven-year-old Tapiwa Makore Junior to boost their cabbage business.

ZBC News