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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
A TAXI driver from Gweru was allegedly murdered in cold blood by unidentified assailants who got away with his Honda Fit vehicle.

The gruesome murder of Garikai Mashame (35) of Mkoba 10 suburb in Gweru, which is now the talk of the city, occurred on Monday evening.

Mashame was found by a passerby lying on the tarmac in a pool of blood with stab wounds and scratches at around 6:45PM along Paradza Road in Mkoba 2 suburb.  He died before he could be taken to hospital.

Acting Midlands provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende confirmed the murder of Mashame who was popularly known as Gari.

“It is alleged that Garikai Mashame, a male adult aged 35 years of Mkoba 10, Gweru left home for Mkoba 6 business centre for his taxi business errands. On the same day at around 6:45PM, a passerby who was walking along Paradza Road in Mkoba 2 suburb found Mashame lying in a pool of blood groaning in pain. He called another passerby before assisting Mashame,” said Asst Insp Mukwende.

She said the passersby called an ambulance.  When the ambulance crew arrived at the scene it observed that Mashame was no longer breathing.

Asst Insp Mukwende said a report was made to the police who attended the scene.

“The deceased had several stabs wounds all over his body suggesting he was attacked by unknown people who left him for dead. The body of the deceased was taken to Gweru Provincial Hospital for postmortem,” she said.

Asst Insp Mukwende appealed to members of the public who might have information that might lead to the arrest of the suspected murderers and the recovery of the Honda Fit vehicle to approach the nearest police station.

Meanwhile, Asst Insp Mukwende said a suspected hooker from Mkoba 5 suburb also in Gweru was allegedly murdered before her body was dumped in Machaya Dam on the outskirts of Mkoba 5.

She identified the deceased as Chipo Ncube (40) who was a well-known commercial sex worker in her area.

“On March 15, the body of a woman was found floating in a dam in Mkoba. It is alleged that Chipo Ncube was a commercial sex worker and was staying with her 75-year-old father. She left home on March 4 at around 2PM and never returned,” said Asst Insp Mukwende.

She said on March 15, Ncube’s body was seen floating in Machaya Dam before it was retrieved and taken to Gweru Provincial Hospital for postmortem.

“The body was in an advanced state of decomposition and investigations are underway,” she said.