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Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]

THE long-awaited trial of fugitive Gweru businessman, Peter Dube, who evaded capture for nearly three years after he allegedly shot four individuals, is scheduled to kick off at the High Court on September 9.

Chief public prosecutor in charge of the Midlands Province, Mr Samuel Pedzisayi said Dube is facing two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder.

“The trial of Peter Dube at the High Court has been set for September 9. He is facing two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder,” he said.

Dube was extradited early this year from Ireland to Mozambique, after which the neighbouring country arrested him and handed him over to the Zimbabwean authorities.

In April, Dube appeared before Gweru provincial magistrate, Ms Beaulity Dube virtually and was remanded in custody until May 2.

The accused had been on the run for nearly three years after allegedly gunning down four people including his wife and her alleged boyfriend, killing two on the spot in a suspected case of a love triangle.

In his warned and cautioned statement, Dube, through his lawyer, Mrs Tuso Maputsenyika of Mhaka Attorneys, denied all the allegations.

Dube, a known car dealer, allegedly shot dead his wife’s suspected lover, Shelton Chiduku of Kwekwe and his wife’s best friend, Gamuchirai Mudungwe.

He then allegedly turned the gun on his wife Nyasha and her sister Nyaradzo, but the two survived the shooting.

According to court papers, on April 22, 2021, at around 11am, Chiduku, Mudungwe, Nyasha and Nyaradzo went to Masvingo to collect the latter’s passport.

Dube, who had married Nyasha as a second wife, got wind that the four had gone to Masvingo without his knowledge and this did not go down well with him since he suspected infidelity between his wife and Chiduku.

At around 8pm the same day, Dube allegedly armed himself with a Zastara pistol and proceeded to Number 11, Bensam Flats, along Main Street in Gweru where Nyasha resided.

“Since Dube suspected Nyasha of having an affair with Chiduku, an altercation ensued, which prompted him to go downstairs and shoot Chiduku who was seated on the driver’s seat of a Toyota Hiace, once on the front left shoulder and he died instantly,” read court papers.

It was stated that Mudungwe who was downstairs with Chiduku tried to run up the stairs before Dube shot her once on the left cheek near the nose and she collapsed and died on the spot.

After allegedly killing Chiduku and Mudungwe, Dube went upstairs to Number 11 Bensam Flats where Nyasha and Nyaradzo were.
“The accused allegedly shot Nyasha once on the right cheek and the bullet protruded to the left side of her neck, removed her right molar tooth and landed on the upper side of her shoulder,” read court papers.
After shooting Nyasha, Dube allegedly turned on Nyaradzo before shooting her once above the left ear and the bullet protruded through and raptured her right eye.

Nyasha and Nyaradzo were ferried to Gweru Provincial Hospital where surgeons successfully operated on them before they were discharged.

After the incident, Dube allegedly fled to South Africa, before relocating to Eswatini, where he changed his identity.

Dube then proceeded to Ireland where he was arrested in Dublin last year for violating that country’s immigration laws.

He was allegedly using a fake identity and when he was arrested in Dublin, he refused to be deported to Zimbabwe claiming that he was a Mozambican citizen under the name Armando Quenete Muchanga.

The accused was then deported to Mozambique where authorities established that Dube was, indeed, a Zimbabwean and he was subsequently deported to Zimbabwe.