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Mkhululi Ncube, Chronicle Reporter

A 28-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo sought by police in connection with the murder of a woman whose body was found in her brother’s car in Emganwini suburb, has committed suicide. Farai Michael Mutasa of New Magwegwe suburb hanged himself in a bush between Masotsha Ndlovu and Beit Avenues. 

Police suspect he was connected to the death of Thulisile Dube (38) who was based in South Africa. 

She had arrived in Bulawayo last week on Thursday with one of her brothers in a surprise visit to her family.

On Saturday she left with her friends at around 4pm and did not return forcing her family to search for her until her body was found in her brother’s car in a bushy area in Emganwini suburb.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed Mutasa’s death. 

“Following the murder of Thulisile Dube. We received a report of sudden death by hanging of Farai Michael Mutasa (28) of New Magwegwe. He was a wanted person in connection with the murder that occurred in Emganwini.

“The circumstances are that there was a man who was walking along Athlone Avenue in North End and on approaching a bushy area known as Inxwala Grounds, he was informed that there was a body of a person hanging in a bush between Masotsha and Beit Avenues. A report was made to police in Kumalo and upon attending it was discovered that the suspect had hanged himself. His relatives positively identified him,” he said.

Insp Ncube said Mutasa’s body was conveyed to United Bulawayo Hospitals for postmortem. He said police were still investigating the case. New details have emerged of the late woman’s partying with her friends before her death.

A relative of the late Thulisile who preferred to speak on condition of anonymity said after leaving home last Saturday, she went out on a girls-only outing with about six friends. Four of the people who were with her have only been identified as Musa, Samu, Claris and Shylet. 

The relative said Thulisile was a hairdresser who had ventured into selling baby clothes.

“She would buy clothes in South Africa and give her mother to sell back home. That is how she supported her family. She used to spoil us and her friends every time she came back home. She was so generous that almost every relative has something that they were given by her,” said the relative.

The relative said on the day she went out with her friends, she took about R9 000 from her mother and some US dollars which was proceeds from selling the clothes.

In some of the pictures she took with her friends, they are seen eating braaied meat and isitshwala with bottles of beer on a table at Esibayeni. 

“Thulie loved partying and drinking expensive beer. They first went to Chigumira in Luveve before shifting base to Esibayeni and when it closed they went to Cosmo near the city centre. While there, one of her friends, Musa, phoned her boyfriend Mutasa. I think she was planning on getting money from Thulie. This Musa is a known thug and thief.  She is always in and out of police cells for theft of phones and various other things. She was once in South Africa and it is said she ran away after killing someone there.

“Musa went to school with Thulie, that is where their friendship started. After drinking and partying at Cosmo Club she delivered them at their houses and was left with Musa and Mutasa. Thulie sent a message to a relative saying she was not comfortable with them and said she suspected they wanted to take her money. That is the last communication she made,” said the relative.

The relative said Mutasa sent an audio message to his mother informing her that he had killed Thulie and that he was going to dump her in Emganwini before committing suicide.

The relative said Musa seems to have tried to escape by going to Harare after the murder. 

“Post-mortem results said Thulie was hit by a heavy object on the head ubuchopho babangamanzi (her brains were mashed). When they went to see her body on Thursday they could not even recognise her because she had turned very dark,” said the source.

Thulisile, according to the relative, was supposed to visit her sister in Gweru and pay school fees for her son for the third term which begins in two weeks. 

Her belongings, comprising a small bag which had money and bag of clothes and her cell phone, are still missing according to the relative.

“This Mutasa guy was a well-known someone in Magwegwe area. He was not employed. He loved associating with people older than his age. Two of the friends who were with Thulie have been visiting the family and they are the ones who gave us some of this information,” said the relative.

Thulisile is expected to be laid to rest today in Bulawayo and mourners have moved to her house in Pelandaba West from the family house in Old Magwegwe. –@themkhust