Auxillia Mnangagwa Draws Criticism Over ‘Serial Killer’ Prison Visit

First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa has faced a backlash, including criticism from lawyers, after visiting alleged serial killer Anymore Zvitsva in prison.

Prosecutors have charged Zvitsva with 25 murders in Guruve, Mashonaland Central.

The first lady’s March 14 visit to Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison was filmed, and Zvitsva — who has not been convicted — was asked to speak about the alleged crimes.

Explaining the visit, Mnangagwa said it was “important for me to understand how such violence could emerge within our society.”

Lawyers said the interaction risked violating the suspect’s rights.

“This is a man on trial. The number of his rights she has violated is just staggering,” lawyer Thabani Mpofu wrote on X.

He said those rights include the presumption of innocence, the right to a fair trial before an independent and impartial court, the right to effective legal representation and the right to liberty.

“A public official cannot get a suspect to confess without reading them their rights,” Mpofu added.

In the video, Zvitsva appeared to admit to the killings, claiming “prophets” had hired him to supply them with human blood. He also alleged that women and children were killed for body parts, which he said were in demand among small-scale miners.

Mnangagwa said her thoughts “remain with the bereaved families who continue to carry the pain of losing their loved ones.”

“No words can erase that grief… As a nation, we must strengthen our values, protect our communities and support those affected by such tragedies,” she said in a statement.

Her statement on X drew widespread criticism.

Brighton Musonza asked whether the engagement had been conducted as academic research or for a documentary project.

“In either case, or any other purpose, a fundamental legal question arises: did the prisoner provide informed and explicit consent for the interview and its contents to be recorded and subsequently published?” he wrote.

Musonza also raised the “question of whether the issues discussed fall within the ambit of sub judice.”

“If the subject matter relates to proceedings that are currently before the courts, public dissemination of such statements may risk prejudicing the administration of justice,” he added.

Other users questioned the purpose of the visit. One asked whether the first lady was acting as a criminal psychologist, while another suggested her advisers were “dangerous and inept.”

“Visiting a suspect in jail who is under due process is not a good idea. Victims must always come first,” wrote Blessing Bere. *ZimLive*