Chronicle EditorPatrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
THE Bulawayo High Court Circuit which is sitting in Gweru for the next two weeks will hear 16 murder cases, mostly involving attacks by informal miners over gold claims.
Midlands provincial prosecutor Mr Samuel Pedzisayi said the 16 murder cases will be heard by High Court Judge Justice Martin Makonese sitting with assessors.
Mr Pedzisayi said the murder cases involved 22 accused persons, mostly artisanal gold miners, who allegedly engaged in deadly fights over gold claims and crimes of passion.
He said among the cases was that of a Mberengwa woman who allegedly paid thugs $200 to kill her boyfriend and supplied them with petrol to burn the body and dump it in a dam.
Chenjerai Zhou (37) and Tawonganei Shoko (29), acting on the orders of Loice Mahlamvana (39), allegedly fatally assaulted Munakiishe Chinyoka (42) and burnt his body beyond recognition before dumping his remains in a dam.
Mr Pedzisayi said Mahlamvana and Chinyoka were lovers before their relationship turned sour resulting in her allegedly hiring thugs to kill him.
“In November 2017, Mahlamvana allegedly connived with Zhou and Shoko to kill the deceased. Mahlamvana told the two that Chinyoka was now bothering her,” said Mr Pedzisayi.
“She allegedly paid Zhou and Shoko $100 each.”
In another case, a Shurugwi man allegedly broke into a tuckshop, raped and murdered the 16-year-old attendant, Marvellous Dawurike.
He allegedly dragged her body out of the building, doused it with engine oil and set it on fire. After the assault and killing, Brighton Mahara (26) allegedly stole groceries worth $587 from the tuckshop and a radio.
He allegedly proceeded to Gweru where he gave the groceries to his wife.
Mahara was arrested in Shurugwi following a tip-off and was allegedly found in possession of the stolen radio and the deceased’s identity card.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter