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Midlands Reporter

A WOMAN from Mberengwa woman allegedly paid thugs $200 to kill her boyfriend and supplied them with petrol to burn the body and dump it in a dam.

Chenjerai Zhou (37) and Tawonganei Shoko (29), acting on the orders of Loice Mahlamvana (39), allegedly fatally assaulted Munakiishe Chinyoka (42) and burnt his body beyond recognition before dumping his remains in a dam.

This was heard when the High Court on circuit in Gweru opened for the third term on Monday.

Chief Public Prosecutor in charge of the Midlands Province, Mr Samuel Pedzisayi, said Mahlamvana and Chinyoka were lovers before their relationship developed problems resulting in her hiring thugs to kill him. 

 “In November 2017, Mahlamvana allegedly connived with Zhou and Shoko to kill the deceased who, according to Mahlamvana, was now a bother to her. 

“The enterprise involved a payment of $100 each to Zhou and Shoko by Mahlamvana,” said Mr Pedzisayi.

He said acting in cahoots, Zhou and Shoko, who were both friends to Chinyoka, allegedly entered the deceased’s house as he was about to sleep and blind folded him with a blanket.

Mr Pedzisayi said the two men allegedly indiscriminately assaulted Chinyoka all over his body using a hoe handle until he lost consciousness.

“Zhou and Shoko dumped Chinyoka’s body in a bush and in a bid to conceal the evidence, they allegedly agreed to dispose the body by dousing it with petrol, which had been sourced by Mahlamvana, before burning it and dumping the remains in Mupandashango Dam,” he said.

On December 5, 2017, the remains of the deceased were discovered floating in the dam by a passerby who alerted the police. 

The remains were taken to the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) for postmortem. 

Investigations led to the arrest of the accused persons.

 Mr Pedzisayi said the High Court circuit would hear 14 murder cases involving 21 accused persons, mostly artisanal gold miners, who allegedly engaged in deadly fights over gold claims.

Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Maxwell Takuva will for the next two weeks preside over the 14 murder trials.

The Chief Public Prosecutor said: “The Bulawayo High Court Circuit is sitting at Gweru High Court for the next 14 days and will hear 14 murder cases involving 21 alleged murderers.”