Commotion in court as sangoma orders swarm of ‘angry’ bees to arrest suspects

A troubling murder case in Chimanimani, Zimbabwe has taken a strange turn. Back in June, the body of 33-year-old Tapuwa Mushango was found brutally beaten under a bridge.

While police have made no arrests, a local traditional healer named Isiah Mabishe, known as Sekuru Sambiri, is convinced he knows who is responsible.

Last Sunday, Sambiri held a dramatically tense meeting at the community court of Acting Chief Saurombe. As Sambiri and his assistant Sekuru Hoko began speaking, a swarm of bees appeared and began buzzing loudly outside. People ran into the courtroom seeking shelter from the agitated insects. Strangely, the bees then fell from Sambiri and Hoko’s clothes but did not sting anyone.

Sambiri claimed the bees would help uncover Mushango’s killers. He said his supernatural abilities allowed him to see that two men present in court, Wonder Mutowo and Knowledge Gezi, had taken part in the murder along with another man not in attendance. The others he cleared of involvement. When questioned, Mutowo and Gezi maintained their innocence, insisting they were being falsely accused.

As tensions mounted, Sambiri did a ritual at the bridge where Mushango’s body was found. With Mushango’s family looking on, he declared the dead man’s spirit wanted vengeance and the bees would help deliver justice. He predicted the real killers would soon confess after being dealt with by the insects.

The accused men remain in limbo as the community awaits further developments. Tapuwa’s older brother Kumbirai mourns the loss of his sibling, leaving behind children. He pleaded for the ancestors to intervene and punish those responsible for cutting Tapuwa’s life tragically short. With the strange involvement of bees and spirits, this case in rural Zimbabwe remains deeply unsettling. Only time will tell if Sambiri’s supernatural promises bear fruit, or if police follow evidence to a more rational conclusion.