The ManicaPost
Abel Zhakata Senior Reporter
DETECTIVES in Mutare are investigating a suspected murder case in which two criminals, who stole a firearm from a soldier at a night club, went on a rampage and shoot a taxi driver in cold blood.
The suspects, who posed as genuine clients, hired the unsuspecting cab man but shot him in the head at point blank.
They then dumped his body in a maize field near the Forbes Border Post.
One of the suspects has been arrested and appeared in court on murder charges.
Talent Michael Matambo (20), of House Number 3136 Chikanga, appeared before provincial magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe.
He was remanded in custody and advised to apply for bail at the High Court in Harare since he was facing a third schedule offence. He will be back in court on March 9 for routine remand.
The hunt is now on for Brain Chakandinakira who allegedly teamed up with Matambo to kill the taxi driver, Wellington Tatenda Musewe (26), of 4394 Hobouse 2, Mutare.
Circumstances are that on February 19 this year at around 7am, a resident who owns a small maize field at Maruni Farm near the Forbes Border Post went to fetch some water from a nearby stream.
He found the body of the taxi driver lying on the bank of the stream and quickly reported the matter to the police.
Detectives from the homicide department attended and made some crime scene investigations. The body was in an advanced state of decomposition. Some drag marks were seen from the road to where the body of the now deceased’s body was. A black jacket was recovered about 10 metres from where the body was.
As investigations widened, detectives gathered that Matambo, who had been arrested and convicted for unlawful entry and theft was found in possession of a blue Honda fit vehicle (AEB 5122) which was suspected to belong to the now deceased. The vehicle was being held at the police station.
A search was carried in the vehicle leading to the recovery of a 9mm spent cartridge. The front passenger seat was soaked with blood. Two days later Matambo was picked from Mutare Remand Prison for interview which established that on February 16 at around 1am the accused person connived and hatched a plan with the fugitive Chakandinakira to rob the now deceased of his motor vehicle.
The suspects were armed with a Makarov pistol serial number ZA 0475 which they had stolen from a soldier on February 7.
Chakandinakira waylaid at Railway Motor Services Mutare which is situated along Bridge Road while Matambo approached the taxi driver and asked to hire him to the Railway Motor Services Mutare.
The unsuspecting taxi driver agreed and charged the suspect $3 for the trip.
Matambo got into the vehicle and occupied the back seat behind the driver’s seat and they drove to Railway Motor Services Mutare.
On arrival Matambo ordered the taxi driver to stop the vehicle intending to pick his property.
At that moment Chakandinakira came out of the darkness armed with a pistol and fired a shot through the left passenger window.
He struck the taxi driver on the head, who died on the spot. The suspects then drove to Maruni Farm and dumped the body.
On February 22, Matambo led detectives to the scene of crime where he made positive indications.
The body of the deceased was positively identified by his father Charles Tapiwa Musewe.
