News / Local
3 schoolboys arrested for suspected murder
28 Aug 2012 at 03:10hrs | Views
THREE Bulawayo schoolboys have been arrested for allegedly fatally assaulting a 27-year-old Cowdray Park man for passing through the group instead of going around it.
The man, Advance Manokore, a popular tout along 6th Avenue Extension, allegedly died at home on Friday night from injuries sustained during the assault.
Manokore's family yesterday threatened to dump his body at the home of one of the boys, all reportedly aged 17, after their families failed to meet them to discuss compensation for the killing.
The juveniles' identities have been withheld due to their ages.
Residents alleged that Monokore was drunk on the fateful day.
They said a fellow tout found him lying unconscious on the road and took him home.
"The assailants beat him up at about 7.30pm and fled from the scene when they realised that they had hurt him. Fortunately, someone who saw them alerted one of Manokore's neighbours on Sunday and the man carried out investigations, leading to the boys' arrest on the same day," said a neighbour who declined to be named.
The neighbour said he suspected that the boys had used stones or empty bottles to assault Manokore because he had bumps on his head and bruises around the ribs.
Manokore's father, Mr Zingwe Manokore (65), said he was prepared to go to prison for dumping his son's body.
"It is against our culture to take a person who has been killed to our rural home without first speaking to the killers. We will leave the body at their homes to show them that they killed a human being, not a chicken. I am prepared to be arrested for doing that," said Mr Manokore.
He said his family had, since the killing, been trying to invite the boys' families to discuss the issue but they had arrogantly told him to go to the police homicide section, who had arrested their children.
"They may be uncooperative now, but I can assure you that between two to five years from now, they will be desperately looking for us and they will not find us," said Mr Manokore.
He said his son is survived by his wife and three children.
"Who will provide for his family? His eldest child is in Grade One and the youngest is less than a month old. I advise these people to take the matter seriously as we are not fighting yet," said Mr Monokore.
His brother, Mr Emanuel Taurai, said he had been calling the families all day on their cellphones and they had refused to meet his family.
"I have been using my own airtime to call them. We need to discuss the issue as adults whose children have wronged neighbours. We cannot take the body to Silobela without meeting the assailants' families," said Mr Taurai.
Contacted for comment, acting police spokesperson for Bulawayo, Assistant Inspector Bekimpilo Ndlovu, confirmed the incident but declined to give details, saying it would compromise investigations.
"I can confirm the suspected murder case at Cowdray Park. However, I cannot give details as it may affect investigations," said Asst Insp Ndlovu.
The man, Advance Manokore, a popular tout along 6th Avenue Extension, allegedly died at home on Friday night from injuries sustained during the assault.
Manokore's family yesterday threatened to dump his body at the home of one of the boys, all reportedly aged 17, after their families failed to meet them to discuss compensation for the killing.
The juveniles' identities have been withheld due to their ages.
Residents alleged that Monokore was drunk on the fateful day.
They said a fellow tout found him lying unconscious on the road and took him home.
"The assailants beat him up at about 7.30pm and fled from the scene when they realised that they had hurt him. Fortunately, someone who saw them alerted one of Manokore's neighbours on Sunday and the man carried out investigations, leading to the boys' arrest on the same day," said a neighbour who declined to be named.
The neighbour said he suspected that the boys had used stones or empty bottles to assault Manokore because he had bumps on his head and bruises around the ribs.
Manokore's father, Mr Zingwe Manokore (65), said he was prepared to go to prison for dumping his son's body.
"It is against our culture to take a person who has been killed to our rural home without first speaking to the killers. We will leave the body at their homes to show them that they killed a human being, not a chicken. I am prepared to be arrested for doing that," said Mr Manokore.
He said his family had, since the killing, been trying to invite the boys' families to discuss the issue but they had arrogantly told him to go to the police homicide section, who had arrested their children.
"They may be uncooperative now, but I can assure you that between two to five years from now, they will be desperately looking for us and they will not find us," said Mr Manokore.
He said his son is survived by his wife and three children.
"Who will provide for his family? His eldest child is in Grade One and the youngest is less than a month old. I advise these people to take the matter seriously as we are not fighting yet," said Mr Monokore.
His brother, Mr Emanuel Taurai, said he had been calling the families all day on their cellphones and they had refused to meet his family.
"I have been using my own airtime to call them. We need to discuss the issue as adults whose children have wronged neighbours. We cannot take the body to Silobela without meeting the assailants' families," said Mr Taurai.
Contacted for comment, acting police spokesperson for Bulawayo, Assistant Inspector Bekimpilo Ndlovu, confirmed the incident but declined to give details, saying it would compromise investigations.
"I can confirm the suspected murder case at Cowdray Park. However, I cannot give details as it may affect investigations," said Asst Insp Ndlovu.
Source - TC
