Police launch manhunt in Banks case

Banks (52) went missing and was later found dead in his car last month near the intersection of Herbert Chitepo Avenue and Mazowe Street.
His body was found stashed in the boot by passers-by who saw flies swarming the Toyota Corolla sedan.
Although the details were still sketchy yesterday, sources close to the investigations said following the murder of Banks, some of the people who were believed to be linked to the case disappeared.
“We now have information that might help us in arresting one of the suspects who we believe fled the country but we are still investigating the case,” a police source said yesterday.
They declined to divulge the country the suspect fled to fearing doing so would jeopardise investigations.
This recent case is one of the rare cases police have handled in many years.
Such cases normally occur in crime-riddled countries such as South Africa where businesspeople reportedly kill each other over botched business deals.
Some of the valuables and an expensive Rolex watch were found in Banks’ car, raising fears that the people who murdered Banks might have been on a revenge mission.
Post-mortem results have shown that Banks was hit with a blunt object on the head before he was suffocated using a plastic sack.
The post-mortem was conducted at Parirenyatwa Hospital mortuary.
Sources said Banks was hit twice on the back of the head with a blunt object before he was suffocated. The motive behind the murder is still unknown, although police have ruled out armed robbery because of the recovered valuables.
It is believed that he had cash on him but it was not recovered.
Detectives from the CID Homicide section are handling the matter.
Banks conducted business with blacks, Asians, whites and coloured, among others and it is suspected he could have been killed over a business deal that went sour.
By the time he died unconfirmed reports said his business empire was crumbling and was reportedly involved some deals to raise his fortunes.