In a suspected case of witchcraft that left villagers in Lalapansi in a state of shock, a 48-year old man had his hut gutted by a mysterious fire while his clothes were burnt to ashes, but the wooden wardrobe they were in remained intact, police confirmed.

Police in the Midlands province identified the victim as Mr Casper Bowas Dube.

The Midlands police spokesperson, Inspector Patrick Chademana said the odd incident occurred on Monday at Village Five - Ifafa Farm, near Sino - Zimbabwe in Lalapansi.

He said Dube suspected his fate originated in Botswana where he met a fellow Zimbabwean friend.

"One Casper Bowas Dube went to Botswana and in April 2006, he bought a motor vehicle from the alleged N'anga, but failed to pay the balance. In December 2006, Dube then came back to Zimbabwe and built three huts at village 5 Ifafa resettlement and gave one hut to his father," he said.

Insp Chademana said trouble hit Dube on Monday when one of his huts caught fire while he was inside.

"A mysterious fire which Dube suspect is from his friend he met in Botswana then gutted his hut on Tuesday while he was inside, but he escaped unhurt and managed to remove his property with the assistance of other villagers," said Insp Chademana.

He said on 5April 2008, Dube's clothes that were inside the wardrobe caught fire and were burnt to ashes.

"What is queer about the incident is that the wooden wardrobe in which the burnt clothes were in did not catch the fire," he said.

Insp Chademana said the mysterious incident led Dube's father to consult a faith healer.

"On 8 April 2008, Dube's father consulted a faith healer, Mr Nyasha Sibanda who while performing a cleansing duty by sprinkling his 'holy waters',was struck by an unknown object on the left knee and immediately fell on the ground," he said.

Insp Chademana said police attended to the scene on Monday and found Dube's hut on fire while his wife's clothes were found scattered all over the yard by unknown people.

"Police attended to the scene after a report was made that Dube's hut was on fire and his wife's clothes were scattered all over the yard with Dube failed to explain the multiple mysteries surrounding his homestead.

"One of the faith healer whom Dube's father had consulted had his left leg now swollen after failing to appease the mysterious events surrounding Dube," said Insp Chademana.