Online Reporter
A 25-year-old man from Gokwe North was fatally stabbed by two assailants as he tried to stop them from raping a 16-year-old girl.
Midlands provincial police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko confirmed the tragic incident.
“Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms a case of murder where a 25-year-old man was killed for rescuing a girl who was facing imminent rape by two men. This occurred on December 18, around 6pm, in Cheuchi village, under Chief Nenyunga, in Gokwe North,” he said.
The two men — one identified only as Ernest of Simuchembo 1 and an unknown accomplice — confronted a 16-year-old girl (name withheld to protect her identity) from the same village and demanded to be intimate with her.
“The girl screamed for help and Tobias Cheuchi (25), of Cheuchi village, Chief Nenyunga, Gokwe North, heard the distress call from the gardens and went to investigate. He found the two suspects holding the victim. They released her after his intervention. This did not go down well with the suspects, who charged towards Tobias armed with okapi knives and stabbed him several times on the chest and stomach before fleeing,” said Insp Mahoko.
Cheuchi was discovered by his brother lying in a pool of blood and was rushed to Nenyunga Clinic using an ox-drawn cart.
“Sadly, he died along the way. The suspects are still at large. We call upon members of the public who might have information which may lead to the arrest of the suspects to pass it to any police station.”— B Metro
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Head, bra, arm of Binga woman recovered
A leisurely riverside outing turned into a nightmare on December 20 when a woman was fatally attacked by a crocodile on the Zambezi River, with her remains later recovered from the reptile’s stomach three days later.
Matabeleland North police spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda confirmed the tragic incident, which occurred on Saturday, December 20, at a river island in Binga, Matabeleland North province.
The victim has been identified as Brenda Nyoni.
“Nyoni, who was in the company of her husband Taylor Bruce and two other companions, was on a leisure outing on a river island. The group had arrived at the island on Saturday, around 3pm, using a speed boat, intending to enjoy the river and take photographs,” said Inspector Banda.
Upon arrival, Sithembokuhle Baloyi and Brenda Nyoni entered the water to take pictures while Bruce and Sinodia Kambambula remained on the sands.
“Nyoni and Baloyi allegedly went on to lie in the water and continued taking pictures. Suddenly, a crocodile emerged from the water and grabbed Nyoni, threw her three times into the air and pulled her deep into the water,” he said.
Inspector Banda said after a few minutes, Bruce saw Nyoni surface and attempted to rescue her.
“He tried to pull her out of the water but failed because the crocodile came back with full force, grabbed and disappeared with her deep into the water.”
The matter was reported to Binga Police, who attended the scene with Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) officials and Sub Aqua teams.
A search was initiated, aborted and resumed the following day.
“Upon searching the area, the team saw the crocodile and. ZimParks shot it, but it disappeared into the water. On December 23, the team searched the waters and recovered the dead crocodile, which was taken to a farm and dissected,” Inspector Banda said.
The grisly discovery confirmed the victim’s fate.
“Upon dissecting, the team found a head, bra and left arm,” revealed Insp Banda.
“We warn members of the public to be wary of such dangerous leisure spots, especially parents and guardians, regarding their children,” he said. — B Metro
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Bus raid leads to discovery of 31kg of mbanje
A routine traffic stop turned into a major drug bust when police discovered a staggering 31,5kg of mbanje hidden in an unlikely cargo — sacks of bananas.
The discovery, worth US$3 500, sent a suspected trafficker fleeing into the night, exposing a smuggling operation on a busy route in Manicaland province on December 18.
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the incident, warning that law-enforcement agencies remain vigilant and will not relent in the fight against drug trafficking.
The operation was carried out by ZRP Chipinge Traffic officers.
“On December 18, at around 8pm, a team of three police officers from Chipinge Traffic was conducting a motorised patrol when they intercepted the contraband,” said Asst Insp Chinyoka.
The patrol was deployed along the Birchenough Bridge–Mt Selinda Road, a busy route connecting border-adjacent communities and frequently used by public transport operators.
During the search, officers detected a strong scent suspected to be dagga emanating from the rear left boot of the bus.
Police pulled down one of the sacks, exposing the concealed dagga.
“When they searched the sack, they discovered that in the middle of the bananas, there were packs of dagga carefully concealed. This method of concealment is clearly meant to avoid detection,” added Asst Insp Chinyoka.
Following the discovery in the first sack, all four banana sacks were removed from the bus and searched.
As police started questioning occupants of the bus, the situation took a dramatic turn, as the suspected owner of the contraband bolted.
“The dagga was later weighed at ZimPost Chipinge, and it weighed 31 500 grammes. Based on current street prices, the estimated value of the recovered dagga is US$3 500,” Asst Insp
Chinyoka said.
Police are presently following leads and are confident that arrests will be made soon.
“We are actively pursuing this matter. We urge members of the public who may have information about the suspect or the origin of this consignment to come forward and assist the police.”
Drug trafficking, he added, remains a serious criminal offence with far-reaching consequences for communities, particularly young people.
He reiterated that the Zimbabwe Republic Police will continue to intensify roadblocks, patrols and searches across Manicaland, especially during the festive season when traffic volumes increase. — Manica Post
Tinaye Agere