Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku, Court Writer
BULAWAYO High Court judge, Justice Munamato Mutevedzi, has convicted former Gweru businessman Peter Dube of two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder in a case stemming from a suspected love triangle that shocked the nation four years ago.
The court heard that Dube, a polygamist, was married to Nomatter Chawana as his first wife and Nyasha Nharingo as his second.
On 22 April 2021, Nyasha, Shelton Chiduku and Gamuchirai Madungwe travelled to Masvingo to collect Nyasha’s passport and returned later that evening. Nyasha knocked on the door, but Dube refused to open, prompting her to report him to the police. Officers spoke to Dube, who appeared calm, and then left. Moments later, Dube armed himself with a gun and approached Shelton and Gamuchirai in the car park.
“Shelton attempted twice to start the vehicle but failed. Dube asked Shelton if he ‘thought what he was doing was right.’ Before Shelton could answer, he shot him dead. That was a rational and very conscious decision. A mad man would have randomly opened fire at anything in his sight. The accused did not. He carefully selected his target,” said Justice Mutevedzi.
He then turned to Gamuchirai, who tried to flee, but shot her dead on the spot while one of his children watched. Dube was not finished. He returned to the room and shot his second wife, Nyasha, and Nyaradzo Nharingo, leaving them seriously injured.
“The bullet entered Nyasha’s cheek and exited the other side of the neck. Dube then opened fire at Nyaradzo, and the bullet struck just above her right eye, causing it to rupture. Satisfied with his grisly handiwork, the accused nonchalantly walked out and left the scene, which resembled a graveyard,” the court heard.
Nyaradzo later died from complications of her injuries. Justice Mutevedzi expressed concern that prosecutors did not add her death to the murder charges.
“She never recovered from her gunshot injuries and later died, yet prosecutors did not charge Dube with her murder. Why that death was not added to the list of murders can only be explained by prosecution,” said the judge.
The judge also questioned the role of Chawana in Dube’s escape.
“She helped him flee, yet she was never questioned. She possibly committed a crime. Nobody ever raised an eyebrow against her,” said Justice Mutevedzi.
Dube accused his friend Shelton, a gold miner, of having an affair with Nyasha. The judge dismissed Dube’s claim that he was mentally ill at the time, describing his defence as malingering and premeditated.
A State psychiatrist, Dr Nemache Maware, testified that Dube tried to feign mental illness during examination.
“He kept quiet and stared into space, continuously rocked in the chair and appeared unaware of his surroundings. He tried hard to give the impression that he was hearing voices and seeing visions. He would cry and allow mucus to flow freely without cleaning himself. He refused to talk about the offence and gave inappropriate answers.”
The doctor concluded that the accused was malingering and pretending to suffer from non-existent mental illnesses.
Dr Maware further stated that Dube’s behaviour was inconsistent with genuine mental illness, noting that most mentally ill individuals lack the capacity to plan and execute an escape.
Justice Mutevedzi found the psychiatrist’s testimony convincing and agreed with the State, led by Deputy Prosecutor General for the Southern Region Ms Tariro Rosa Takuva and Mr Kenneth Shava that the defence failed to prove mental disorder.
The court heard how Dube fled Gweru the same night, assisted by his first wife, Chawana. He crossed into South Africa, moved to Eswatini, acquired a fake Mozambican identity and later flew to Ireland, where he lived for years.
His cover was eventually blown, leading to deportation first to Mozambique and then to Zimbabwe for trial.
The judge noted that Dube maintained his polygamous marriage, ran his car sales business and craftily evaded capture, all signs of a sane person. Justice Mutevedzi said the killings were deliberate, targeted and executed with chilling calmness. He found Dube guilty of two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder.
Dube is expected back in court on 26 November for sentencing.
