'Businessman murdered in premeditated incident'

The late businessman Shingirayi Mukandi was allegedly killed in a premeditated incident disguised as a hit-and-run accident, a Harare court has heard.

The suspects - Alfred Takudzwa Machipisa and his brother Fanwell Lloyd - had their culpable homicide charge levelled against them altered to murder when they appeared before magistrate Gideon Ruvetsa.

However, Ruvetsa did not revoke their bail and remanded the duo to January 19 next year pending indictment to the High Court.

The State told court that during investigations, detectives discovered that the suspects had planned to kill Mukandi.

"Your Worship, the investigating officers had discovered that there was a third party called Nathan Machipisa who was in the Isuzu KB300 that reportedly murdered the socialite and had been protected from facing the charges. He had since skipped the borders to South Africa," prosecutor Sebastian Mutizirwa said.

"We discovered that the offence was planned and at the moment we are still to record statements and it requires time to complete the investigations considering that a murder charge is a serious offence and complex one."

But the Machipisa brothers tried to object to the State's application. However, magistrate Ruvetsa ruled in favour of the State.

Allegations are that on July 22 this year at around 9pm, Machipisa was allegedly driving a white Isuzu KB300 due west along Harare Drive while trailing a Kawasaki motorcycle which was being ridden by the now-deceased.

The State alleges as Machipisa passed Number 201 Mt Pleasant Drive, Harare, he negligently drove his vehicle at a speed that was excessive and failed to keep a proper lookout of the road ahead.

Machipisa allegedly hit Mukandi's motorcycle from behind and as a result of the impact Mukandi flew off the motorcycle and landed approximately 70 metres near the yellow line of the left side of the tarmac.

After the incident, Machipisa allegedy fled from the scene without rendering any form of assistance to Mukandi or enquire about the extent of his injuries. In an alleged bid to cover up the offence, Machipisa hid the Isuzu at his brother Fanwell Lloyd's residence at Flat 173, Block 32 Zambezi Flats, Mabelreign in Harare.

Mukandi's body and the damaged motorcycle were discovered by a passer-by, who called for an ambulance and the crew declared Mukandi dead at the scene.