By Idah Mhetu

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has condemned the brutal killing of children for ritual purposes in the wake of the death of a seven-year-old Murewa boy, whose mutilated body was found while being feasted on by dogs recently.

Mnangagwa made the statement last Friday while addressing the junior cabinet virtual meeting.

Police in Murewa have arrested one of the three murder suspects who allegedly, in a gruesome act, killed Tapiwa Makore, a seven-year-old boy from Makore Village under Chief Mangwende.

Tapiwa Makore disappeared after his mother sent him to guard a family vegetable garden and his body parts were later found the following day.

The suspect has been identified as Tafadzwa Shumba (40), a cattle herder in the area while two other suspects are still at large.

At the junior cabinet meeting, the president directed officials in the justice delivery system to speed up investigations and wrap-up the case.

“My government is gravely concerned with the threats to the well-being of children and youths emanating from various forms of abuse,” said Mnangagwa.

“We continue to take several measures to give effect to our commitments to end violence against children. I am disturbed by the loss of life of young children as a result of heinous and evil actions for rituals and witchcraft purposes. These cold-hearted acts of murder have no place in our country.

“The stakeholders in our criminal justice system must speedily and strongly deal with the perpetrators so that this evil trend is expunged from our society.”

Meanwhile, Mnangagwa told the junior cabinet ministers the government had put in place all the necessary measures to ensure learners return prepared to school Monday in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The government has put in place concrete interventions through the ministries of Primary Education as well as Higher and Tertiary Education to ensure that learners return to safe and hygienic schools or college environments,” he said.