DJ Munya sent to prison

Popular radio announcer, Munyaradzi Mlimo showed no emotion as he was sent to remand prison together with his co-accused during an initial remand hearing at the Harare Magistrates' Courts yesterday.

This was in contrast with his stardust which attracted a huge crowd that struggled to fit in Court 6 where Magistrate Don Ndirowei sent him to prison until June 5 for his routine appearance.

Mlimo, widely known as DJ Munya, is facing murder charges following the death of a man suspected to have been bedding his wife.

The Star FM DJ made a brief appearance at the courts where a big crowd had gathered to witness his appearance but was yanked to the Attorney General's office before making his eagerly-awaited entrance shortly after lunch.

DJ Munya and his suspected accomplices - Taurai Janhi, 34 and Mohammed Matare, 31 -  made a simple entry to the courts with handcuffs, accompanied by two detectives.

Curious members of the public, including some of his friends and radio fans crammed into Court 6 where Ndirowei did not take time to make a decision.

The trio were told to apply for bail at the High Court and condemned to Harare Remand Prison.

The 32-year-old Milimo was arrested last Friday following the disappearance and subsequent death of Ortneal Tinashe Magorimbo who was alleged to have been having an affair with the DJ's wife.

Magorimbo died on Sunday from a suspected drink poisoning believed to be a pesticide.

DJ Munya is  alleged to have demanded $5 000 in adultery damages from Magorimbo after discovering the man was having a secret affair with his wife in February this year.

It is alleged that Milimo approached his wife's lover in a bid to be compensated for the adulterous affair.

Allegations are that Magorimbo made a part payment of $1 000 through Janhi and Matare leaving a balance which was to be paid in instalments but since the initial payment he became evasive.

In May, Milimo, it is claimed, engaged the services of Janhi and Matare to deal with Magorimbo for the full payment of the amount he was demanding.

During the same month, Magorimbo was left home by his wife and told her to contact him on a different mobile number because his handset had run out of power.

The mobile number which he had told his wife - 0739 017 969 – was later found in the phone books of Janhi and Matare during investigations.

It was also discovered that Janhi once phoned on the same mobile number.

Prosecutor Junior Mugebe told the court that later on May 13, Magorimbo went to West End hospital to make a phone call intending to hire a taxi to Cranborne.

Magorimbo allegedly boarded the taxi and dropped off at O'Corner road in Cranborne and was never seen until the day his wife found him at their apartment.

The court  heard on May 14, West End hospital's human resources manager Henry Mandishona received a text message from 0739 020 657 demanding $5 000 as ransom money for Magorimbo's release.

Milimo is alleged to have gone to Magorimbo's house on the same day and told his wife not to involve the police as her husband would be back home safe.

The now deceased was eventually seen on May 18 by his wife at their flat's basement, naked with both hands tied with a blue rope.

He was staggering and unable to speak, resulting in him collapsing, before being rushed to the hospital.

A day after being admitted into West End's intensive care unit, Magorimbo died and results from a post mortem conducted on May 21 revealed that the death was due to poisoning.