adminLeonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
POLICE have arrested the second suspect in the murder of a Mosi-oa-Tunya High School pupil whose naked body was found in the Zambezi River. The suspect, Augustine Ncube, who evaded arrest at a funeral wake in Kezi last week, was cornered in Plumtree.
When detectives pounced on him in Kezi, Ncube ran away forcing the police officers to fire three warning shots that sent mourners scurrying for cover.
He was later arrested in Plumtree when police officers intercepted a South Africa-bound vehicle in which he was a passenger.
Acting police spokesperson for Matabeleland North Province, Assistant Inspector Mandlenkosi Ndlovu, said Ncube was likely to appear in court today.
“We can confirm that the second suspect in the murder of a Mosi-oa-Tunya High School pupil has been arrested. However, I can’t give you details surrounding the arrest. He’s likely to appear in court tomorrow,” said Asst Insp Ndlovu yesterday.
Police officers have been on Ncube’s trail since his escape at the burial of a malayitsha identified as Mduduzi Hadebe at Sizindeni Village in Zamanyoni under Chief Fuyana in Kezi last week.
Ncube’s alleged accomplice, Nhlanganiso Luphahla, 35, of Old Pumula in Bulawayo, has since appeared at the Victoria Falls magistrate’s court charged with murder, attempted rape and robbery. He is in custody and will be back in court on August 4.
Prosecuting, Takunda Ndovorwi said Luphahla was arrested trying to sell a laptop and a cellphone which he and Ncube allegedly stole from the deceased, Praise Mpofu, 16, and Brian Dube, 21 on the day of the attack.
He then implicated Ncube.
The two allegedly found the two high school lovers near the Big Tree on July 15, at dusk.
Praise and Brian, both pupils at Mosi-oa-Tunya High School, went to the Big Tree, a tourist attraction after writing mid-year examinations.
Praise’s body was found floating in the Zambezi River while Brian was heavily assaulted and left for dead.
It is alleged that Ncube used a log to strike Brian on the back of the head before he and Luphahla force-marched the two to a secluded place where they allegedly forced them to undress before assaulting them with a log resulting in Brian falling unconscious.
Luphahla allegedly took Praise to a nearby bush and tried to rape her before hitting her again with the same log on the head until she died.
He later allegedly dumped her body in the Zambezi River, the court was told.
Luphahla went back to where Ncube was guarding Brian and tied his hands with a laptop cable before stealing money, a laptop and a cellphone.
Online Reporter