Police in Midlands Province have confirmed investigating a murder case following the discovery of the dead body of a man in a disused motor vehicle parked in an alley at the Midlands Hotel recently.
The body was discovered in Gweru Central Business District on 25 July 2022 at about 7.30 AM.
The body has been linked to an assault case of a then-unknown man who was reported at Gweru Central by an informant Samuel Jackson Jacha (29) of Mambo suburb in Gweru.
Police investigations conducted have established that on 22 July 2022 at about 8.30 PM, the witnesses saw four men assaulting a man (now deceased) who had just come out of Pandas Bar on 3rd street.
The assailants reportedly used a rubber sjambok, empty beer bottles and an okapi knife.
The victim had then escaped to an unknown destination but with very serious injuries.
Police officers attended the scene during the night and arrested four suspects for assault namely Nkosi Ncube (26) Terrence Lewis Sibanda (18), Washington Ngwenya (20) and Jealous Matola (21) all of Umsungwe road, Ridgemont in Gweru.
The officers searched for the complainant but could not locate him or establish his identity.
Then the following day (Saturday, July 23 2022), the four suspects were taken to court where they were remanded in custody to July 26, 2022, while investigations continued.
On Monday, July 25, 2022, at 7.30 AM an informant Tendai Mafuratidze (34) reported at Gweru Central police that he had discovered a dead body in a motor vehicle in a car park.
Police attended the scene and retrieved the body. The four suspects are now being charged with murder.
Injuries reported to have been inflicted on the assault victim on Friday night are tallying with those on the body.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson in Midlands Province, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko, thanked members of the public who helped police with information regarding the incident.
TellZim News reported a source as saying the uncle of the now deceased was told by the now deceased’s mother that the four suspects were alleged to be illegal gold panners.
They are reported to have confronted the now deceased over an unknown dispute.
More: TellZim News