Tinotenda Hove – A chilling wave of fear has swept through Munkunku Village in Chief Saba’s area after a 25-year-old man, reportedly suffering from mental illness, allegedly killed a fellow villager in a gruesome and unprovoked attack involving an axe and a hammer.

The suspect appeared before the Hwange Regional Court and was remanded in custody following the violent incident, which occurred on June 18, 2025. Authorities say the man stormed the victim’s homestead, threatened the victim’s wife with an axe, and fatally assaulted the victim with repeated blows to the head using both an axe and a hammer.

The motive behind the attack remains unclear, but preliminary reports point to an ongoing mental health crisis. The suspect was arrested shortly after the killing and has been ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation by two government-appointed doctors to determine his mental fitness to stand trial. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 23, 2025.

The case has sparked renewed concern over the state of mental health care in rural Zimbabwe, where access to diagnosis, treatment, and long-term support remains severely limited. Community members have expressed shock and disbelief over the incident, with many questioning whether the tragedy could have been prevented through earlier intervention.

The attack has also highlighted the need for stronger public health safeguards and community-based support for mentally ill individuals, especially in underserved rural areas. As legal proceedings continue, the incident has prompted calls for a nationwide review of how mental health cases are managed to avoid similar tragedies in the future.