Chaos has been boiling over in the Kutama area since Sunday, after the police failed to arrest suspects the community have claimed could be involved in the suspected ritual murder of Mavhungu Ramadzhamba of Tshikwarani Ha-Kutama.

Earlier that day, a meeting was held between the local police and different community structures at the Kutama royal kraal. The meeting relates to the mysterious disappearance and subsequent discovery of the decomposed body of Mavhangu at Madodonga last month. His body was found hanging from the rafters of a dilapidated shop.

It is still a mystery how the body ended in the shop, far away from his home.

The aim of Sunday’s meeting was to address the grievances of members of the community, who felt that the police were reluctant to arrest the suspects, whom they believe to be members of the community. A community leader, Ms Phumudzo Manenzhe, said she was worried that ritual murders might be resurfacing in the area. “It is clear that the man was murdered somewhere else and hanged in the shop. Judging by what we saw, he would not have been able to climb the steep slopes and jungle around the roof to hang himself. There were drops of blood that led us to the spot, and we found drops on the floor next to the body.”

She added that the deceased’s legs were touching the ground. “We will definitely find the people behind all this. The community of Kutama will not rest until the perpetrators are brought to book. People must learn that they will never become rich by killing innocent community members.”

Ms Tshifularo Ramadzhamba, sister of the deceased, agreed that they were not happy about the way in which the police were handling the case. She acknowledged that there were parts missing from Mavhungu’s body. “The police are not willing to arrest the suspects. They are not acting against people we know are involved in the killing.” She said they were still waiting for the police to supply them with the post mortem report.

On Monday, members of the community sang freedom songs and marched for nearly four kilometres from Kutama High and Mmbabada Primary to the Kutama tribal office. They presented a memorandum of their grievances to the police. Their list includes that the killing be investigated speedily, the urgent arrest of the suspects before a recurring of the incident, and that no bail be granted to the culprits involved in the ritual killing.

Police spokesperson Brig Hangwani Mulaudzi said they had decided to visit the community in order to explain how they operate. “At this stage, we have no evidence linking anybody to the death of Mavhungu. We have questioned those people the community want arrested, but we have found nothing so far to connect them to the case. We are now appealing to members of the public to give us space to work on the case.”

He also appealed to members of the community to supply information that can shed light on “this mystery”.

On Tuesday, the Kutama tribal office was closed until further notice, and the community later blocked the road from Muduluni to Tshikwarani with scrap metal, dustbins, wood, and burning tyres. They even broke down the bus stop and put it in the road.

On Wednesday, the community went to all the schools around Kutama to force the learners to go out and support them in their demand that the alleged ritual suspects be arrested.

At the time of our going to press, protest actions had spilt over to all the villages in Kutama, as well on the main roads leading through the area. Allegations that the protestors were throwing stones at passing traffic were also made.