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Thandeka Moyo Chronicle Correspondent
Four suspects appeared at the Binga magistrate’s court yesterday in connection with the recent shooting incident, in which four people were shot dead in a suspected “botched ivory deal”.
Police initially arrested three suspects and shot the fourth suspect who died in hospital last week.
Five more suspects, all from Binga, were later arrested following a series of police raids in the district, sources close to the investigation revealed.
Japhet Muleya, 33, from Simwenge Village, Lovemore Mudenda, 38, Hardlife Dube, 20, and Robert Muleya, 31, appeared before Binga magistrate Steven Ndlovu on murder charges.
The four were remanded in custody to February 3.
Paul Siachimbo, whose age could not be ascertained, and his son Trust, 28, both from Kalamenda Village and Leonard Mhlanga, 38, are facing charges of illegal possession of ammunition and theft and will appear in court today.
The State alleges that Mhlanga was found in possession of 38 rounds of ammunition for an AK-47 which was allegedly used to shoot Sithembinkosi Moyo, 43, Alvin Canitious Nyirenda, 28, Nkosana Mdlongwa, 38, and Leo Mthulisi Ndlovu, 34, on January 6.
The court also heard that Trust Siachimbo stole nine rounds of ammunition from his father Paul and sold them to the murder suspects.
The quartet’s bodies were found dumped in a river on January 6.
Robson Mudenda, 39, who lives in Lumbu Village under Chief Dobola in Binga, was on his way to work on the fateful day shortly after 8AM when he noticed a white Isuzu double-cab truck, which appeared to have fallen off the Ngongonye River Bridge on the Kariangwe-Lusulu Road to Binga centre.
Mudenda, a shopkeeper, called the police to report a traffic accident – sparking a quadruple homicide investigation after police discovered four bodies, all of them with gunshot wounds.
The only female victim, Moyo, from Bulilima, was found inside the Isuzu truck with two gunshot wounds to the head and chest.
Her skull had been cracked open and her brains were missing. She had her Motorola cellphone on her.
Ndlovu’s body was found about 1km from the scene. Police first found his head, and then the lower part of his body with his hands still tied behind. He had been decapitated. His eyes, nose, ears and lips had been sliced off.
Nyirenda was found lying on the back seat of the Isuzu with several gunshot wounds on the head and chest while Mdlongwa was trapped under the car’s loading box and had two gunshot wounds to the head.
Police have interviewed Moyo’s husband, Jericho Sibanda, who said his wife left home on January 2 in the company of the three men to Binga to buy fish for resale.
Online Reporter