Shot dead & bodies dumped. . .Bulawayo brothers kidnapped, tortured in SA

Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter

TWO Zimbabwean businessmen based in South Africa, who are brothers originally from Bellevue suburb in Bulawayo, were allegedly savagely tortured before they were shot dead in Johannesburg and their bodies dumped in Mpumalanga province in the neighbouring country in a case of a suspected deal gone sour. 

They reportedly ran a flourishing transport and freight company where they owned buses and trucks operating within South Africa.

The two brothers – Sydney and Edmore Ncube –  reportedly went missing more than three weeks ago after being kidnapped by unknown assailants.

Mpumalanga provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi yesterday confirmed the incident, saying the two bodies were discovered in a decomposed state along the highway between Bronkhorstspruit and Delmas.

“I can confirm that there are two Zimbabweans who were found dead in an area between Bronkhorstspruit and Delmas. Their bodies had bruises, an indication that they could have been assaulted. Our investigations revealed that they were murdered in Johannesburg and the suspects then dumped their bodies in Mpumalanga,” he said.

Brig Hlathi could however, not reveal the circumstances surrounding the murder, saying their Gauteng counterparts were still investigating the case.

 Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters said she was yet to contact the investigating officer handling the matter.

Brig Hlathi said they have since arrested one of the suspects linked to the murder of the two men.

Sources said the two brothers disappeared on June 26 after failing to return home from work. 

They are said to have used the same car on that particular day.

“It appears one of the suspects believed to be a family friend, lured Edmore to some secluded spot before they later used him as bait to capture his brother Sydney. They asked Edmore to call his brother to come and pay ransom and when he arrived at that particular place, they captured him too before torturing them,” said the source.

The source said the suspects tortured the two brothers before shooting them in their heads. 

Edmore was shot three times while Sydney had a single bullet wound.

“After more than three weeks of being reported missing, a farmer stumbled upon their bodies on July 10 and he informed the police,” said the source. 

They had their feet and hands tied and the post-mortem report stated that they were tortured to death.

The two bodies were repatriated yesterday and they are being kept at a funeral parlour in Bulawayo.—@mashnets

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