Chronicle Editor
Thupeyo Muleya
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BEITBRIDGE border security officials are investigating another case of murder after a Zimbabwean man known only as Welly was killed at the Old Limpopo Bridge on Thursday morning.
The motive behind the murder is still unknown.
The man was reportedly killed near the spot where another Zimbabwean was shot and killed by a South African member of the border guards in February.
It is reported that Welly was killed by a suspect only identified as Tinashe, who is still at large.
The police officer commanding Beitbridge district, Chief Superintendent Tichaona Nyongo confirmed the incident.
“The matter is being investigated by our South African counterparts since it occurred on their side of the border,” he said.
“However, the South African police came to the border post and informed us that they had received a murder case of a Zimbabwean national who is only known as Welly who was murdered at the Old Limpopo Bridge.
“The deceased is said to have been murdered by another Zimbabwean national only known as Tinashe”.
In February, a member of South Africa’s Border Management Authority (BMA) shot and killed a Zimbabwean man at the New Limpopo Bridge.
Sebatjana Jonas Nare has since been arrested and charged with murder.
He is alleged to have shot and killed Tawanda Makombe (37) of Mutoko in Mashonaland East province for reprimanding one of the officers from assaulting an old woman who was picking up empty cans and plastic containers for recycling.
The incident occurred at around 4am on February 15.
National Prosecution Authority spokesperson for Limpopo Province, Ms Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said the case had been postponed to 26 May for further investigations.
Charges are that on the fateful day, the now deceased saw some members of the BMA assaulting an elderly woman.
He then approached one of them near an illegal crossing point and reprimanded him.
While he was busy engaging the security official, Nare emerged from the illegal crossing point and grabbed him by the collar.
The guard then shot Makombe once on the head at close range and he died instantly.
The police rushed to the scene after hearing gunshots and upon questioning the border guard, the man indicated he wasn’t aware his gun had a bullet in the chamber when he pointed the gun at the man’s head.
A few weeks ago, a South African soldier shot and killed a Zimbabwean man at the Limpopo river who he found with several others helping people to smuggle onions from that country.
Online Reporter