The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure and Lovemore Kadzura
CLOSED Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras mounted outside a wholesale in Rusape helped so solve a murder case after capturing the suspected killers throwing a dead body from a moving truck onto the tarmac to feign a hit-and-run accident.
Two suspects who allegedly murdered Mr Maarcus Runduke of Magamba suburb in cold blood were captured on CCTV video as they threw his corpse from a red truck, thereby making it easy for the police to pounce on them.
Investigations into the callous murder of Mr Runduke, whose body was found dumped at Global Brothers Wholesalers opposite the main bus terminus, took a new twist after CCTV footage was handed over to the police last week on Friday.
In the video, the suspects are seen throwing the body from their moving Scania truck onto the tarmac.
When Mr Runduke’s body was discovered, scores of residents converged at the scene, with some coining various theories.
However, the generally agreed theory was that Mr Runduke was a victim of a hit-and-run accident.
Instead, the CCTV footage told a different story.
Two well-known Rusape potato traders — Clever Nyabote (28) of Makochere Village, Mutoko; and Takawira Munanzvu (27) of Hopley, Harare — have since been arrested in connection with the heinous crime.
Nyabote and Munanzvu were arrested barely 12 hours after committing the alleged crime.
The motive behind the murder has not yet been established as police investigations are in progress.
The two suspects this week appeared at the Rusape Magistrates’ Court.
They are facing murder charges as defined in Section 47 (1) (a) or (b) of the Criminal Law, (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23.
The two suspects who were self-actors were not asked to plead when they appeared before Ms Rufaro Mangwiro.
They were remanded in custody to February 23 for routine remand and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
Miss Nyaradzo Ndachengedzwa prosecuted.
She said last week on Thursday, Nyabote and Munanzvu allegedly fatally assaulted Mr Runduke using an iron bar and other unknown, but dangerous weapons.
“During the night of February 9, the accused persons who were travelling in a truck that was being driven by Nyabote picked the now late Mr Runduke in Vengere and drove him towards the Central Business District.
“Along the way, the accused persons fatally assaulted Mr Runduke using a metal bar and other unknown objects all over his body. On reaching the Global Brothers Wholesalers (Madhadha), the accused persons threw the body from their moving truck onto the tarmac and drove off to an unknown destination,” said Miss Ndachengedzwa.
The body was found the following morning with multiple head injuries.
“Mr Runduke’s body was later found lying on the road with multiple head injuries, as well as a deep sharp cut on the groin and scrotum. The body was lying in a pool of blood.
“The accused persons were captured by a CCTV installed outside Global Brothers Wholesalers as they dumped Mr Runduke’s body on the tarmac,” said Mrs Ndachengedzwa.
She said Nyabote and Munanzvu were arrested on February 10 as they were in the same truck along the Mutare-Harare Highway.
Police recovered a bloodstained murder weapon from the truck.
“The accused persons were arrested the following day aboard their truck as they left Rusape for an unknown destination along the Mutare-Harare Road. The suspects were found with the metal bar that was used to fatally assault Mr Runduke,” said Miss Ndachengedzwa.
