daniel chigunwe
Midlands Bureau
A SHURUGWI-based fortune hunter who twice allegedly killed girlfriends to inherit their businesses and valuables, including cars, was yesterday brought before Shurugwi magistrate Ms Sithabile Zungula for remand on two counts of murder.
Emmanuel Mahembe (37), who according to police proposed love to two local businesswomen before murdering them last year and this year, was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody to August 14.
Prosecutor Ms Kwanele Njini said in the first count, Mahembe proposed love to Ms Patricia Mutero and the two fell in love. Mahembe would drive Ms Mutero’s car while on her businesses.
In September last year, Mahembe was at Chachacha Business Centre and invited Ms Mutero to drive over to pick him up.
They met at the centre at around 7pm and started drinking beer.
They were then intimate in the car away from the centre and while Ms Mutero slept, the court heard, Mahembe allegedly strangled her before driving the car away from the scene and burying the body along Gwamvurachena River.
On the second charge in May this year, Mahembe had another affair with Idah Chigumbate, another Shurugwi businesswoman.
He allegedly killed her during the night of May 21 near Todal Turn-off in Shurugwi before he drove away with her Honda Fit vehicle.
Mahembe sent text messages to Ms Chigumbate’s son using the mother’s phone and pretending to be the mother. Ms Chigumbate’s son became suspicious and made a missing person report with Donga Police Station. The police later trapped Mahembe, leading to his arrest, further investigations and now the two charges.
Online Reporter