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Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Court Reporter
A GARDENER allegedly fatally hit his 86-year-old employer at Qalisa Village in Suburbs with a metal bar on the head when she fired him as a domestic worker and then stole her money, a laptop and a cellphone before skipping the border.

Josias Mutikani (29) of Zaka under Chief Nyakunhuwa in Masvingo province appeared before Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Lawrence Kamocha facing a murder charge.

Mutikani had worked for Doris Gill for three weeks at her house when his employment contract was terminated.

Mutikani, who is being represented by Mr Nduduzo Dube of Dube, Mguni Legal Practitioners, allegedly killed Gill five years ago.

Three years ago, a judge ordered that his mental state should be established by two doctors, but they gave conflicting reports.

Justice Kamocha postponed the matter to October 31 yesterday after ordering that Mutikani be taken to a qualified psychiatrist for another mental examination.

Mutikani, in his warned and cautioned statement, said after killing Gill, he went on to steal a laptop, a Nokia cellphone, $3 800, R2 000 and 200 pounds from a safe.

Prosecuting, Miss Nokuthaba Ngwenya said on November 27, 2011, Mutikani allegedly armed himself with a metal bar and went to Gill’s bedroom where she was sitting on a bed working on a laptop with the intention of killing her.

He allegedly struck her four times on the head and left her unconscious.

Mutikani covered her bleeding head with a pillow and ransacked the house and took a laptop, cellphone and money.

He allegedly locked the doors and main gate and left for Harare. Some neighbours, who inquired after noticing that Gill was not being seen as usual, found her body four days later.

Mutikani stayed in a lodge in Harare before leaving for Masvingo where he allegedly bought three beasts using part of the money.

He sold the cellphone in Masvingo and the laptop in Beitbridge before illegally leaving the country for Mozambique. from there he proceeded to Malawi. The court heard that Mutikani returned from Malawi on February 2, 2012 and handed himself to police in Nyamapanda.

A neighbour, Mr David Llewellyn Mason, said he and other members of the House Owners’ Association in Suburbs had to cut padlocks using a bolt cutter to check inside Gill’s house and found her decomposed body.

@mashnets