Chief Bota Bashed By Mourners After Storming Funeral And Demanding US$120 To Allow Burial

Mourners allegedly assaulted Chief Bota after he stormed a funeral while drunk, demanded US$120 in total to authorise the burial, blocked the road and hurled vulgar insults at women, whom he accused of witchcraft.

The confrontation took place on Tuesday evening, 28 July, at the funeral wake of Lawrence Chitende, whose body was due to arrive on Wednesday from South Africa, as mourners gathered to prepare for the burial.

Sources at the funeral who spoke to TellZim News said Chief Bota, born Tafirenyika Bwazvo, arrived at the homestead visibly intoxicated and slurring his words, and immediately began making demands.

They alleged he first demanded US$20 as a notification fee, claiming tradition required the family to inform him before proceedings could continue.

After the family complied, he allegedly demanded a further US$100 to allow them to bury their relative in the family cemetery located close to the homestead. He reportedly threatened that if they failed to pay, they would be forced to use a distant community cemetery.

A villager told TellZim News that in 2025, when the deceased’s sister died, Chief Bota demanded US$30 to allow the family to establish its own cemetery, which the family believed had settled the matter, only for him to demand more money this time.

Witnesses further alleged that the chief blocked the road leading to the homestead, which passes close to his residence, declaring that no one would attend the funeral unless his demands were met.

In an audio recording that has since circulated widely on social media, a voice said to be Chief Bota is heard scolding women at the funeral in vulgar language and accusing them of witchcraft.

“Especially that woman with a deep voice, she is the one bewitching people here. She is the one who killed my uncle; you are here to eat meat, and I am not afraid of you,” Bota said.

He went on to ban singing and drumming at the funeral, despite the deceased being a member of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC), whose services are traditionally accompanied by drums and singing.

The insults sparked outrage, with mourners turning on the chief and assaulting him before he was taken away by his wife.

Contacted for comment, Chief Bota confirmed he had been assaulted but gave a different account of events.

He claimed the attack occurred at his homestead and not at the funeral, and said the deceased was his mother’s brother, meaning the family should have informed him directly.

“The deceased is my mother’s brother. So they did not tell me about the funeral as per tradition.

“When I asked them, I said they had done that because they belittle me since I am their child, so I asked them to pay a fine of $20, which they failed to do, and I went home to sleep,” said Chief Bota.

He further claimed that he later refused the money when it was sent through an aide, saying his demand was only meant to make the family acknowledge their mistake.

He said the family then sent seven people to his homestead, most of them outsiders from Bikita and other areas, who attacked him.

Chief Bota said his elderly aide was also assaulted and could only watch as he was beaten.

He added that the widely circulated audio recording had been edited by people seeking to tarnish his image and eyeing his throne.

“I never scolded anyone or spoke any vulgar words. They just want to tarnish my image
because others are after my chieftaincy,” he said.

However, the chief is no stranger to controversy. He has a reputation for frequent intoxication and once caused a commotion at a Zaka Rural District Council full council meeting, demanding that the local authority grade the road to his homestead.

His subjects have long complained about his behaviour, saying it is unbecoming of a traditional leader.

Chief Bota is not the first chief in Masvingo Province to be assaulted by villagers at a funeral.

Chief Murinye, born Ephias Munodawafa, was assaulted on 28 June 2023 by an angry mob at Village 33B in Boroma, Masvingo.

He had ordered villagers attending a funeral to stop burying a relative at a site deemed sacred in line with local customs and traditions.

Chief Murinye, together with three police officers, was severely assaulted by villagers, including women, who were unhappy with his decision.

A video of the assault went viral on social media, with members of the public making light of the incident as it showed the chief running for his life with villagers in hot pursuit.