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Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Correspondent
FIVE 14-year-old Zimunya teenagers who allegedly murdered a fellow learner over a girlfriend are up for murder.
The teenagers who have since been released under the custody of their parents appeared before Mutare provincial magistrate, Ms Nyasha Kuture recently and were not asked to plead.
They were remanded to January 25 on condition that they report to their nearest police station every Friday and not to interfere with State witnesses. They were also ordered to continue residing at their given addresses.
The court heard that sometime in November 2020, the late Rufaro Makono who was a Form Two learner at Gwese Secondary School, Zimunya escorted a form one female pupil from the same school to her home.
It was alleged that Rufaro was proposing love to the girl. They parted ways at Nyagumbe River in Mutukwa Village.
Prosecuting, Mr Chris Munyuku, said: “On his way back home, the deceased, however, met a group of teenagers who confronted and accused him of dating the female learner. Sensing danger, Makono started running and the five gave chase.”
One of the teenagers is alleged to have picked a stone and threw it on Rufaro. He fell down and the teenagers took turns to assault him. Rufaro suffered a swollen head and bloody eyes.
When Rufaro got home, he did not tell his parents about the assault even when his condition deteriorated.
On November 29, Makono met a classmate, Munashe Mujaji and confided in him about the assault.
Rufaro later died at Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital on December 4 and was buried three days later.
After the burial, information filtered that Rufaro had died as a result of the head injuries he sustained from the assault, prompting the police to exhume his body on December 11.
A post mortem conducted at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare revealed Rufaro’s cause of death as severe head trauma.
Online Reporter