Missing cop found dead

A POLICE officer stationed at Tsholotsho who reportedly went missing last month was found dead in Gweru, with an inyanga who had lured him alleged to have killed him.

Constable Edmond Sibanda was allegedly stabbed once in the neck by the well-known traditional healer Pardon Nzanga (31) of Siyamuzula village, under Chief Siyamuchembo in Gokwe.

Cst Sibanda was last seen on October 10 during his deployment at the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) offices in Tsholotsho. He had been deployed to the Zec offices from October 10 to October 16 but he only reported for duty on the first day and disappeared.

Sources close to him said he disappeared while tracking $1 900 that he had mistakenly sent to a stranger via EcoCash while others say he had intentionally gone to Gokwe to consult the inyanga.

Police investigations have since established that the body of a man that was discovered by villagers at Bockloof Farm Hunters on October 17 and was taken to Gweru Provincial Hospital was the missing police officer's. His family finally identified it on Saturday.

Nzanga allegedly admitted to police to having killed the victim and dumped the body in an area near Gweru.

He directed police to the location of the body, only for villagers to tell them that it had long been taken to the mortuary. The villagers allegedly said the body was found facing downwards in an advanced state of decomposition.

A source close to investigations said Cst Sibanda's relatives spotted Nzanga last week on Monday driving the deceased's car at Gokwe Town after they had reported him missing on October 15. When the late cop's relatives approached the inyanga, a misunderstanding ensued and they reported him to the police leading to his arrest.

The inyanga later opened up about the murder to the police and the deceased's body was identified by his relatives on Saturday in Gweru.

"The deceased's relatives found Cst Sibanda's vehicle - a silver grey Toyota Axio registration Number AED 7571 - at Gokwe Centre being driven by Nzanga in Gokwe Town for pirating purposes," said the source.

A report was made to the police and investigations led to the recovery of Sibanda's vehicle, R2 500 and his driver's licence which the suspect was keeping in his wallet.

"Nzanga said he received the vehicle from a man only identified as Admore," said the source.

"There was R2 500 stashed in a pocket at the back of a seat inside the vehicle. This led to strong suspicion that the suspect knew of the victim's whereabouts and was immediately arrested," said the source.

The inyanga last week escaped from police during crime scene indications at his homestead following his arrest after he was found in possession of a missing police officer's belongings.

"Nzanga is the one he sent the money to. Upon follow-up, the inyanga ordered him to personally come to him to recover his money and that was the last we saw of him," said the source.

Nzanga took to his heels after he had directed a police investigations team to his home, saying the missing man was there recovering after he had treated him for an undisclosed ailment. Police could not immediately comment on the matter.