Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, Victoria Falls Reporter
THE Victoria Falls Magistrates Court was on Monday presented with harrowing details of how a 38-year-old man allegedly murdered a 17-year-old boy following a dispute over water, before callously disposing of the body in a sewer pond.
Tinashe Wireless Nyarukokora, also known as “Spraga”, who has no fixed abode, appeared before Magistrate Ms Linda Dzvene facing a charge of murder. Ms Dzvene remanded him in custody until September 1 for routine remand.
According to Prosecutor Ms Audrey Mukanganya, the allegations point to a vicious and premeditated attack on the teenager, Edison Sibanda, in the early hours of August 13. The court heard that the tragic events were set in motion by an altercation between the accused and the deceased the previous day.
“On the 12th day of August 2025, at the Waste Water Treatment Ponds site in Victoria Falls, the accused person had an altercation with the now deceased Edison Sibanda (a male juvenile aged 17) over the issue of water,” said Ms. Mukanganya.
She said that later that day, the teenager left for beer drinking in Chinotimba.
“On the 13th day of August 2025 at around 4am, the now deceased, who was returning from beer drinking, met the accused person at the Waste Water Treatment Ponds site in Victoria Falls.” It was at this point that the confrontation allegedly turned deadly.
Ms. Mukanganya detailed the extreme violence allegedly inflicted by Nyarukokora.
“The accused person assaulted the now deceased using a wooden log and an electric cable all over the body and strangled him to death,” she said.
After confirming that the teenager was no longer alive, Nyarukokora allegedly attempted to conceal the crime.
“After the accused person had realised that there was no sign of life, he carried the now deceased’s body and threw it into the sewer pond, which is about 15 metres from the scene, and went away,” she said.
The gruesome discovery was made three days later.
“On the 16th of August 2025 at around 3pm, Mandla Khanye, who was conducting a routine check around the Waste Water Treatment Ponds site, discovered the body of the deceased floating in the sewer pond,” said Ms Mukanganya.
A breakthrough in the case came through a chilling deathbed testimony.
“Investigations were carried out by the police, who managed to interview Blessing Sibanda. He indicated that he heard the deceased calling out and saying ‘Spraga, Spraga’ (which is the accused person’s nickname), ‘why are you strangling me?’ This then led to the arrest of the accused person,” she said.
The case has sent shockwaves through the resort town, drawing attention to issues of violence and the vulnerability of young people.
