Man Dies After Incest Allegations Reach Chief’s Court
By Staff Reporter
MANICALAND- A 50-year-old Manicaland man died in an apparent suicide after a violent confrontation with his son over allegations that he had an incestuous relationship with his 20-year-old daughter.
Benny Chimhuya, popularly known as Beniza, from Parowa Village under Chief Marange, was found hanging from a tree near the Musatya River earlier this month. The allegations had been pending before Chief Marange’s traditional court when Chimhuya died. According to The Manica Post, Chimhuya’s sister, Dorcas Chimhuya-Mangwandi, said accusations that her brother was sexually involved with some of his daughters had troubled the family for years.
She alleged that one of the daughters had been living with Chimhuya at Bezeley Bridge, where family members claimed they were living as husband and wife. The matter was eventually brought before Chief Marange’s court after the daughter reportedly became pregnant. Chimhuya denied the allegations, according to his sister. “He claimed that he was teaching her to drive, and because there was no witness who had seen them in bed, the matter lost weight,” Chimhuya-Mangwandi said.
Son confronted father
The allegations reportedly triggered a confrontation between Chimhuya and his son, Wish, on the night before his death. Chimhuya-Mangwandi said the two fought, with Wish allegedly demanding an explanation from his father over claims that he was sexually abusing his sisters.
“My brother hanged himself after a fight with his son, Wish. It was a fierce fight, with Wish assaulting him and demanding to know why he was abusing and sleeping with his sisters,” she said.
Wish was arrested on allegations of assaulting his father, while Chimhuya was taken to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital for treatment. His sister said Chimhuya was discharged the following day, around the same time Wish was released from police custody. She said Chimhuya died later that evening. Chief Marange confirmed that a matter involving makunakuna, or incest, had been pending before his court. However, he said he had not yet received official notification of Chimhuya’s death at the time he was contacted.
“The matter is still pending before my court. It is a pity that he killed himself. We were still doing our investigations,” the traditional leader said. He said incest was a criminal matter that would ultimately have to be referred to the police if established.
Allegations remained unresolved
Chimhuya’s sister said the allegations were not limited to one daughter. She claimed another daughter, who is now married, had previously complained to relatives about alleged sexual abuse. The family was reportedly unable to intervene amid longstanding disputes between Chimhuya and his siblings. A villager, speaking anonymously, also claimed that confrontations between Chimhuya and Wish over the allegations had occurred previously.
However, no criminal finding had been made against Chimhuya before his death. The traditional court proceedings were still ongoing, and Chimhuya had denied the allegations against him. Police had also not issued a public statement on the death at the time of the original report. The circumstances surrounding Chimhuya’s death therefore remain subject to police investigation, while the allegations that brought the matter before Chief Marange’s court were never resolved through a criminal court. The case has left the family and community confronting both the unresolved allegations and the circumstances that preceded Chimhuya’s death.
Manicaland incest allegations
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