There are only two clear links between Charwe and Pollard. One was in 1897, when she was seeking refuge from the British government. She appealed for help from Pollard's father-in-law and he gave it to her. This was long after Pollard's murder.
One possible interpretation of this fact is that Pollard's father-in-law knew she was not guilty. Why would he help her if she was responsible for his son-in-law's death, unless there was a much larger conspiracy in his death? Another point this makes is that Charwe's relationship with Pollard went beyond that of an African woman subject to his rule as a British South African administrator. Clearly, they knew each other in another vein, perhaps business.
The other link involves the incident of Pollard's death, and may also indicate a personal or business relationship between the two. Some time after the rising began, Pollard began a journey to the north, accompanied by Nehanda's (Charwe's)carriers. His journey had several purposes. According to police, it was a hunting trip. But he was also investigating the death of the telegram operator near Mount Darwin. His third purpose appears to have been trade related.
As his group traveled, they encountered fighting that had begun in late June. Nehanda's carriers fled. When local police and villagers seized Pollard, they brought him to Charwe's village. According to the others who testified against her in the trial, Charwe asked what had happened to her carriers. When he replied that they had fled, she ordered her brother Hwata to kill him.
It is important to note that in this version, she ordered his death because he lost her carriers, not because of his brutality with the Africans while carrying out his duties as a British administrator. In other words, even if Charwe was guilty of his murder, his death was a result of their personal business. It had nothing to do with the Rising; thus, his death does not connect her to the Rising in any way and cannot be used as proof of her involvement.
Rumors escalated quickly. By the time of her trial, the name of Nehanda was not only linked with Pollard's murder, but the story was that she had kept him alive for 15 days, eating the flesh on his arms and legs.
