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Yeukai Karengezeka, Court Correspondent
THE indictment of suspected serial rapist and murderer, Bright Zhantali, for trial in the High Court on three counts of murder has been suspended by Harare magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi after the court received his psychiatric evaluation results that show he is not mentally fit to stand trial.
He is now admitted to the Chikurubi Maximum Psychiatric Unit where he must stay.
Zhantali faces charges of allegedly killing three women.
Prosecutor Mr Rufaro Chonzi is alleging that on July 17, 2020 at around 7 pm, Zhantali approached Ms Priscilla Chidhakwa (24), and offered to pay her US$10 for the night for sexual services.
He allegedly indicated he wanted to go to his place in Mabvuku, but took her to Donnybrook Race Course where he raped and later killed her.
After killing the woman, Zhantali threw the body in a trench.
On July 18, Marvelous Matondo found Ms Chidhakwa’s body and saw that she was tied on her neck and hands with pieces of blankets. He promptly reported the matter to the police.
On December 7, 2021 at around 1pm, Zhantali was approached by Ms Manyara Chisora (46) who was looking for a piece of land to rent.
Zhantali allegedly showed her the land and as they went to her house to sign the lease documents, he raped her before striking her three times with the back of an axe, killing her.
He then stole groceries, a Huawei Honor cellphone, blankets and some clothes, and fled the scene.
At around 5pm, Ms Chisora’s daughter aged 15, returned home from collecting some wild fruits and found her mother dead in her bedroom.
She told her aunt, who went to the scene and informed Ms Cecilia Maphovire, who filed a police report.
Zhantali is further accused of murdering Ms Spiwe Nyamoto (50), after he hired her for sexual services for the night.
He allegedly raped Ms Nyamoto, before killing her and dumping the body in Mabvuku sewage ponds.
Zhantali confessed to committing over 10 murders that occurred in Marondera.
In November 2022, Zhantali’s other murder trial was off to a false start after he exhibited “strange” theatrics, which prompted Justice Roger Manyangadze to order that he be admitted at the Chikurubi Maximum Psychiatric Unit.
Online Reporter