HARARE – A man last seen by neighbours over 12 years ago died in his Zengeza home in Harare and his wife did not inform police for at least five days, it was reported on Tuesday.
Police recovered the decomposed remains of the unnamed man as scores of horrified neighbours watched on Monday.
The woman, identified only as Mahlahla, has been spoken to by police.
When investigators arrived at the house, they heard movement in the ceiling and when they went up they found an emaciated 39-year-old man identified only as Grant, the couple’s son.
Speaking to reporters, Mahlahla painted a picture of a dysfunctional family as she claimed a secret battle with evil spirits.
She said married her husband in 1992 and he suffered a stroke shortly after, forcing him to use a wheelchair.
“I joined church after discovering that evil spirits were haunting my family,” she told H-Metro. “My husband refused to accompany me to church to receive prophecies about our family.”
Mahlahla claimed that her son who was hauled from the ceiling was a “possessed man.”
“They told me in church that he has evil spirits. He has destroyed everything in the house – geyser, radio and TV,” Mahlahla claimed.
Neighbours said they last saw her husband being wheeled around some five years ago, and Grant at least 14 years ago.
“We used to see Grant 14 years ago, and Gogo Mahlahla’s husband about five years ago, but after that it would be just Mahlahla coming and going, wearing church uniform carrying her bag,” said one neighbour.
It is unclear what prompted Mahlahla to finally go to the police.
Grant, who had outgrown hair, beard and fingernails, was handcuffed and sat with her mother on the back of a police truck as neighbours cheered.
Mahlahla allegedly has five children and four of them live abroad.
