Prominent Headlands businessman, John Madondo has been cleared of charges related to an alleged attempted murder for rituals scandal that rocked the community.
The case took an unexpected twist during the trial of Tatenda Mudziwedare (20) from Village 5B, Sherenje, who had initially confessed to attempting to murder a seven-year-old Grade One learner, purportedly under instructions from Madondo.
The legal proceedings, presided over by Rusape regional magistrate Mr. Francis Mapfumo, were conducted under the purview of Section 187 as read with Section 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, specifically addressing attempts to cause harm or death to another individual. Mudziwedare’s admission of guilt initially cast suspicion on Madondo, implicating him in the alleged crime.
According to the charge sheet, Mudziwedare attempted to cause the death of Alvin Kambadza by strangling him, allegedly at the behest of Madondo, who purportedly sought a human head for ritual purposes.
However, in a dramatic turn of events, Madondo was acquitted by the Rusape magistrate following a thorough trial. The acquittal came after extensive investigations reportedly provided conclusive evidence demonstrating Madondo’s lack of involvement in the alleged ritual scandal.
Police reports indicated that Madondo had no case to answer, marking a significant moment in the proceedings. Despite the seriousness of the accusations, the evidence presented during the trial failed to substantiate Madondo’s alleged role in the crime.
However, the acquittal does not bring closure to the matter. Authorities have announced that further investigations will be carried out to fully understand the incident and ensure justice is served.
