News / Regional
Volunteer cops walk 30km to nab murder suspect
02 Apr 2015 at 07:11hrs | Views
FIVE members of a Neighbourhood Watch Committee (NWC) in Lower Gweru walked for more than 30km to arrest a murder suspect.
The NWC members - Sipho Mpofu, Milton Moyo, Mpitha Ndlovu, Siphiwe Ngwenya and Fiona Ncube - were on Tuesday honoured by the police for their valiant act.
They were awarded certificates of appreciation and $25 each for their commendable efforts in policing the area.
Giving a summary of events leading to the arrest of the suspect, Inspector Samuel Tadzaushe, the Officer-in-Charge of Maboleni Police Station, said on June 26, 2014, Dumoluhle Sibanda stole some donkeys in Baleni Village, Chief Sogwala, Lower Gweru. A member of the NWC, who is now late, Crispen Sibanda, traced and cornered him.
"Having realised that he had been cornered and that he was going to prison, Sibanda stoned Crispen to death before tying his hands and legs together and throwing his body into Vungu River to destroy the evidence," said Insp Tadzaushe.
He said Mpofu, Moyo, Ndlovu, Ngwenya and Ncube teamed up and carried out a five day patrol covering 30km following the disappearance of Crispen. They worked hard on a daily basis until the fifth day of the patrol when they arrested Sibanda who confessed to the two cases of stock theft and the murder of Crispen.
Insp Tadzaushe said Sibanda led the NWC members to where he had dumped Crispen's body.
"Sibanda is detained at Whawha Remand Prison awaiting sentence," he said.
Addressing members of the Maboleni Crime Consultative Forum and villagers gathered to celebrate the hard work of the NWC in crime prevention in the area, the officer commanding Gweru Rural District, Chief Superintendent Conrad Mubaiwa, said the NWC had been incorporated to intensify the fight against crime.
"Comrades and friends, may I bring it to your attention that these women and men we're gathered for today are just volunteers who work for nothing other than the love for their country. They play a pivotal role in crime prevention yet what they earn from you are insults."
He said the more than 36 members of the scheme had managed to reduce the crime rate which used to hover around 80 cases a month to about 40 cases a month.
"It's also painful to note that they risk their lives and families for your sake without pay yet nothing is being done to improve their lives or let alone to recognise their existence," said Chief Supt Mubaiwa.
He said there was a need to find a way of motivating NWC members to continue with the fight against crime.
The NWC members - Sipho Mpofu, Milton Moyo, Mpitha Ndlovu, Siphiwe Ngwenya and Fiona Ncube - were on Tuesday honoured by the police for their valiant act.
They were awarded certificates of appreciation and $25 each for their commendable efforts in policing the area.
Giving a summary of events leading to the arrest of the suspect, Inspector Samuel Tadzaushe, the Officer-in-Charge of Maboleni Police Station, said on June 26, 2014, Dumoluhle Sibanda stole some donkeys in Baleni Village, Chief Sogwala, Lower Gweru. A member of the NWC, who is now late, Crispen Sibanda, traced and cornered him.
"Having realised that he had been cornered and that he was going to prison, Sibanda stoned Crispen to death before tying his hands and legs together and throwing his body into Vungu River to destroy the evidence," said Insp Tadzaushe.
He said Mpofu, Moyo, Ndlovu, Ngwenya and Ncube teamed up and carried out a five day patrol covering 30km following the disappearance of Crispen. They worked hard on a daily basis until the fifth day of the patrol when they arrested Sibanda who confessed to the two cases of stock theft and the murder of Crispen.
Insp Tadzaushe said Sibanda led the NWC members to where he had dumped Crispen's body.
"Sibanda is detained at Whawha Remand Prison awaiting sentence," he said.
Addressing members of the Maboleni Crime Consultative Forum and villagers gathered to celebrate the hard work of the NWC in crime prevention in the area, the officer commanding Gweru Rural District, Chief Superintendent Conrad Mubaiwa, said the NWC had been incorporated to intensify the fight against crime.
"Comrades and friends, may I bring it to your attention that these women and men we're gathered for today are just volunteers who work for nothing other than the love for their country. They play a pivotal role in crime prevention yet what they earn from you are insults."
He said the more than 36 members of the scheme had managed to reduce the crime rate which used to hover around 80 cases a month to about 40 cases a month.
"It's also painful to note that they risk their lives and families for your sake without pay yet nothing is being done to improve their lives or let alone to recognise their existence," said Chief Supt Mubaiwa.
He said there was a need to find a way of motivating NWC members to continue with the fight against crime.
Source - chronicle
