News / National
Masendeke 'killer' brothers on the run
03 Apr 2013 at 07:28hrs | Views
Three brothers of the late notorious murderer Edmore Edmund Edgar Masendeke - who was hanged in 2002 - are reportedly on the run after allegedly killing a man at a drinking spot in Mbizo, Kwekwe, on Good Friday.
Police confirmed the incident yesterday and said a hunt was on for the suspected murderers.
Criminal Investigation Department (CID) provincial spokesperson Detective Inspector Ntombizodwa Chiduwuro, while confirming that they had information that the three brothers had an argument with the now deceased before he was found dead, said police investigations were still in progress.
Chiduwuro said: "I can confirm that an unidentified male adult was murdered in Kwekwe and investigations are in progress. So far no arrests have been made. The bar manager said the now deceased had a fight with the Masendeke brothers before he was found dead. That information is being used in our investigations," she said.
Police sources at Kwekwe CID also told NewsDay they had swooped on Ernest Masendeke's Mbizo 5 homestead in search of the brothers yesterday afternoon, but could not find them.
They said they had information the brothers had gone into hiding. The sources inside the police force said the police had launched a manhunt for Edward, Edson and Ernest Masendeke in connection with the murder at a nightclub in Mbizo Section 4.
"We are told that the now deceased had accidentally stepped on Edward's foot resulting in an argument. During that argument, the deceased tried to apologise to no avail. He was initially saved by the bar manager who asked the Masendeke brothers to leave the club," the source said. Bar manager Tawanda Chamada confirmed the incident, saying he moved in to quell the commotion for the safety of other patrons at the club.
"I had to ask them (the Masendeke brothers) to leave the club because they were now causing confusion and commotion and this threatened the security and peace of our clients," Chamada said. According to the police source, the victim, who also left the bar, was later found after being left for dead in a bushy area adjacent to Mbizo 4 shopping centre. The source said he had sustained serious head injuries and had wounds apparently inflicted by a very sharp object.
Neighbours at the house who refused to be named also confirmed seeing police officers on Saturday looking for Ernest.
Ernest (35) and Edward (age not given) were recently released from jail after serving a 40-month term by then Kwekwe provincial magistrate Tendai Mahwe over crimes to do with kidnapping and assault. Their brother, the late Masendeke, was hanged on May 31, 2002 at Harare Central Prison after spending five years awaiting the noose in jail.
He had been convicted of the murder of a 77-year-old Masvingo widow and stealing her vehicle.
Before he was tried for the murder, Masendeke - who was being detained at Mutimurefu Prison in Masvingo - staged a dramatic jailbreak together with fellow hardcore criminal Stephen Chidhumo. They somehow managed to subdue prison guards and forced them into the cells before walking away. Masendeke was, however, rearrested two years later in Mozambique.
Chidhumo also met the same fate of being hanged three years later for killing a guard during a jailbreak with three others at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison.
Police confirmed the incident yesterday and said a hunt was on for the suspected murderers.
Criminal Investigation Department (CID) provincial spokesperson Detective Inspector Ntombizodwa Chiduwuro, while confirming that they had information that the three brothers had an argument with the now deceased before he was found dead, said police investigations were still in progress.
Chiduwuro said: "I can confirm that an unidentified male adult was murdered in Kwekwe and investigations are in progress. So far no arrests have been made. The bar manager said the now deceased had a fight with the Masendeke brothers before he was found dead. That information is being used in our investigations," she said.
Police sources at Kwekwe CID also told NewsDay they had swooped on Ernest Masendeke's Mbizo 5 homestead in search of the brothers yesterday afternoon, but could not find them.
They said they had information the brothers had gone into hiding. The sources inside the police force said the police had launched a manhunt for Edward, Edson and Ernest Masendeke in connection with the murder at a nightclub in Mbizo Section 4.
"I had to ask them (the Masendeke brothers) to leave the club because they were now causing confusion and commotion and this threatened the security and peace of our clients," Chamada said. According to the police source, the victim, who also left the bar, was later found after being left for dead in a bushy area adjacent to Mbizo 4 shopping centre. The source said he had sustained serious head injuries and had wounds apparently inflicted by a very sharp object.
Neighbours at the house who refused to be named also confirmed seeing police officers on Saturday looking for Ernest.
Ernest (35) and Edward (age not given) were recently released from jail after serving a 40-month term by then Kwekwe provincial magistrate Tendai Mahwe over crimes to do with kidnapping and assault. Their brother, the late Masendeke, was hanged on May 31, 2002 at Harare Central Prison after spending five years awaiting the noose in jail.
He had been convicted of the murder of a 77-year-old Masvingo widow and stealing her vehicle.
Before he was tried for the murder, Masendeke - who was being detained at Mutimurefu Prison in Masvingo - staged a dramatic jailbreak together with fellow hardcore criminal Stephen Chidhumo. They somehow managed to subdue prison guards and forced them into the cells before walking away. Masendeke was, however, rearrested two years later in Mozambique.
Chidhumo also met the same fate of being hanged three years later for killing a guard during a jailbreak with three others at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison.
Source - newsday
