By A Correspondent

HARARE – A chilling tragedy unfolded in East View Phase 21 as self-proclaimed prophet Panashe Mukura (31) appeared before Harare magistrate Ruth Moyo on charges of brutally murdering a 12-year-old boy, Keith Jon, who had been entrusted to his care.

Mukura, who was not asked to enter a plea, shockingly confessed to the crime in open court. He was remanded in custody to July 15 for further proceedings.

According to state prosecutor Nomsa Kangara, the incident occurred on the night of July 5. The young victim had been left in the care of his maternal grandfather. Mukura, a fellow member of the same apostolic sect as the grandfather, had been asked to stay overnight and watch over the house.

In the middle of the night, Mukura allegedly launched a horrific attack on the boy. He reportedly used a pair of scissors to stab the child in the neck, then went on to mutilate his private parts, leaving them partially severed. To further compound the brutality, he stabbed the boy in the nose using a plastic comb.

After the fatal assault, Mukura dragged Keith’s body outside and attempted to bury it in a shallow grave in the garden behind the house.

The following morning, Mukura feigned ignorance, telling the boy’s grandfather that Keith had gone missing. Alarmed, the grandfather and several neighbours rushed to the property. They immediately noticed blood on the doorstep and on Mukura’s clothing. A search of the premises led to the grim discovery of the child’s partially buried body in the backyard.

Police were swiftly called to the scene, and Mukura was arrested on the spot.

In court, Mukura claimed he did not fully comprehend what had happened. “All I can remember is that I was sleeping with Keith, and I think I was fighting with someone in my dreams,” he said. “I tried to cut his male organ but left it hanging, then dragged his body to the garden where I buried it. I only realised what I had done after burying the body and was shocked.”

When asked by Magistrate Moyo if he had any history of mental illness, Mukura denied ever being diagnosed or treated. However, he did disclose that he had previously been imprisoned for attempted murder and had only been released in July 2023.

The court proceedings have left the community reeling from the horror of the crime, with many questioning how someone with a violent past was trusted to care for a child. Investigations are ongoing.