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Binga Crime Reporter
POLICE have launched a manhunt for two suspects believed to be linked to the murder of three men and woman whose bullet-riddled bodies were recently found in an abandoned truck in Binga. The incident occurred near Ngongonye Bridge along Kariangwe Road.Sources close to the investigations today said they had two suspects — Sinola Jameson Dube (57) and his son Emmanuel Dube (30) – of Mabobolo Village under Chief Dobola in Binga.
The four deceased have been identified as Sithembinkosi Moyo (43), Alvin Canitious Nyirenda (28), Nkosana Mdlongwa (38) and Leo Mthulisi Ndlovu (34) all of Bulawayo.
Moyo was found behind the steering wheel with two gunshot wounds to the head and chest, while his skull had been partially blown off.
She had her Motorola cellphone on her, suggesting robbery might not have been the motive.
Nyirenda was found lying on the back seat with several gunshot wounds to the head and chest, while Mdlongwa was trapped under the loading box and had two gunshot wounds to the head.
Ndlovu’s body was found about 1km way from the scene. He had been beheaded.
Police sources said the skin on his head and face had been removed and his brain was missing. This has raised suspicion that the crimes were committed for ritual purposes.
The Herald understands that Robson Mudenda (39) who resides in Lumbu Village under Chief Dobola in Binga was on his way to work on January 6, at around 8am when he discovered the bodies.
He was walking along the Kariangwe-Lusulu Road to Binga Centre, where he is employed as a shopkeeper.
On approaching the bridge along the Kariangwe-Lusulu Road, he saw a white Isuzu double-cab (registration number ACM 5503) that was overturned and lying on its roof.
A report of a road traffic accident was made to the police.
Police have interviewed Moyo’s husband, Jericho Sibanda, who said his wife left home on January 2 in the company of the other three men to Binga to buy fish for resale.
On January 8, the scene was revisited by detectives who picked seven 7,62 cartridges, a 500ml plastic container containing particles of brown sugar and water solution (commonly used by poachers as an energy booster), and a decomposed porcupine.
A team from CID Ballistics and Forensic Science, Harare collected samples for analysis.
It is believed that before she left for Binga, Moyo had been communicating with the two suspects until January 4.
Investigations have also revealed that sometime in 2008 Sinola Jameson Dube was arrested by Binga police for poaching 13 elephants and was also found in possession of a rifle.
He appeared in court where he was sentenced to 12 months in prison with labour for unlawful possession of a firearm. He was found not guilty and acquitted on the poaching charge.
It is understood that in 2009 Emmanuel Dube was also arrested for attempted murder after stabbing a man in Binga and was sentenced to three years in prison.
Gun crimes in Binga are usually connected to elephant poaching; but shooting incidents usually involve game rangers, the police and poachers.
A Binga resident who spoke to our Bulawayo Bureau said locals were speculating that the four dead had arrived in the area on a mission to buy ivory, but things went sour ending in the killings.
Online Reporter