Andile Tshuma, Chronicle Reporter
RESIDENTS of Sizinda suburb in Bulawayo suspect a ritual killer targeting mentally challenged people is on the loose after an elderly mentally challenged man who went missing from the suburb in July was found dead at St Peter’s Village near Pumula last month.

Family members yesterday said they suspect parts had been harvested from Mr Joshua Nkala (69)’s body, which had decomposed.

His is the third mentally challenged person to disappear in the suburb this year alone.

In April residents demonstrated and embarked on an awareness campaign following the discovery of the mutilated body of Mr Ellison Phiri (28).

He had Down’s Syndrome and his body was found without a tongue after three weeks.

The third person, Mr Lawrence Mumba (17), who was last seen in March, is yet to be found.

Mr Nkala’s family only got to know about his death after police issued a statement in The Chronicle appealing for families with missing family members to come and identify bodies at the United Bulawayo Hospitals’ mortuary.

A friend to the Nkala family and pastor who heads a community action group on protecting mentally challenged people in Ward 21 (Sizinda, Tshabalala and Tshabalala extension), Mr Thulani Nyathi, said he now feared for the lives of Sizinda suburb children as he felt that the community was no longer safe.

“We just wonder who is next. Just a few months ago we buried Elison Phiri and circumstances leading to his death were suspicious. His body was mutilated so we are strongly suspecting that Nkala’s body was mutilated as well,” said Mr Nyathi.

He said he hoped that the police will unravel the mystery killings and bring culprits to book.

“I am a pastor and we serve a living God. We will pray hard until God hears our cry. They will be exposed in God’s time, our God will avenge on our behalf,” said Mr Nyathi.

Mr Nkala’s daughter, Mrs Sifiso Mwale, said her father was a peace-loving man of few words.

Mrs Mwale’s husband, Mr Roderick Mwale, said they started staying with his father-in-law in December 2009.

“We looked for him everywhere and we do not understand why his body was found at St Peter’s which is very far from Sizinda. This is just too recent after we experienced a similar case of a mentally challenged person disappearing without a trace only to be found dead after a while,” said Mr Mwale.

He said both Mr Nkala and Mr Phiri disappeared in broad daylight and they were found dead very far away from home.

“We suspect that someone here in Sizinda is working with hitmen who kidnap people and kill them for ritual purposes. Police told us that they are investigating the case and are treating it as murder,” said Mr Mwale.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango could not be reached for comment.

 

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