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Victor Maphosa-Mashonaland East Bureau
Serial rapist and killer Bright Zhantali, charged with raping and killing nine women in and around Marondera, with more similar charges coming from other areas, was remanded in custody when he appeared at the Marondera Magistrates’ court on Thursday.
Zhantali (30) appeared before Magistrate Ms Patience Chirimo facing rape and murder charges and was remanded in custody to April 6. He was told only the High Court could grant him bail.
Six of the women were strangled, two he allegedly killed with axes and one was battered on the head with a stone.
Allegations are that on January 15 Zhantali met Mercy Simairi (28) at Dejagger bus stop who was on her way to Roughlands Farm to look for mushroom and he offered to accompany her.
On arrival at the farm, Zhantali allegedly tripped Ms Simairi, raped her and hit her with stone on the head several times until she died.
He allegedly buried the body in a shallow pit and covered it with grass shrubs.
On January 18, 2022 Zhantali was at Hwedza Growth Point where he engaged sex worker Chipo Gwese (40) to go together to Gwese’s place at Ndudzo Village under Chief Svosve in Hwedza. On January 20, at around 2am, Zhantali allegedly strangled Gwese and when she was dead, he tied her hands from behind using shoelaces and covered the body with blankets before he went away with a gas tank and US$111.
It is alleged that on January 22, around 10pm, Zhantali engaged another commercial sex worker Betty Mlambo (43) in Dombotombo, Marondera and the two agreed to go together.
The next day, it is alleged that Zhantali strangled Mlambo who was fast asleep, and when she was dead, Zhantali tied her hands from behind using shoelaces and covered the body with blankets before setting the body ablaze, burning it her beyond recognition.
Zhantali then went away with Mlambo’s Itel cellphone and US$120.
On February 7 around 3pm, Zhantali spotted Nelia Maringe, an AFM church pastor who was reading a Bible. Zhantali allegedly approached Maringe and but she turned down his propositioning and then he raped her once before killing her with an axe she wanted to use to cut firewood. Zhantali reportedly left a letter on the deceased’s body before going away with her Huawei cellphone.
On March 11 at around 2pm Zhantali was seated in a field at Hunyani Estate near a golf course in Marondera when he saw Meggie Kaomba (61) cutting firewood.
He allegedly approached her, grabbed her from behind and raped her and then using Kaomba’s axe, he struck her twice in the head killing her instantly.
On March 12 at around 10pm, Zhantali engaged commercial sex worker Patricia Tsoka (49) at Dombotombo shops and the two agreed to go together.
On their way and at a swampy area between Cherima and Yellow City, Zhantali reportedly grabbed Tsoka from behind and raped her once before strangling her then threw her body into a swamp.
In February this year around 9 pm Zhantali allegedly hooked up with a commercial sex worker at a bar in Nyameni and lied to her that he resided in Paradise Park and the two agreed to go there.
Along the way and behind Cherutombo High School he allegedly grabbed her from behind and raped her before he strangled her.
Zhantali allegedly threw her body into a river about 20 metres from the scene, before he went away with her cellphone and a plastic bag with dagga.
On February 23 he killed Ms Fadzisai Muchadenyika a commercial sex worker in Macheke after the two had agreed to go together for the night at a place where Zhantali had allegedly suggested.
He led her along a footpath in a maize field and after walking for about 50m Zhantali raped her and strangled her.
There are another five women from the Bindura area whom Zhantali allegedly killed and his statements on these deaths have already been confirmed in court, plus a similar rape and killing at Lake Chivero last year and with police expecting more deaths to come to light as investigations continue.
Online Reporter