Bulawayo newspaper vendor killed

A NEWSPAPER vendor in Bulawayo was found dead with his privates ripped open, metres from his home in the early hours of Wednesday.

Farai Mazhindu popularly known in Luveve as Dread or Rasta was found half naked with bruises all over his body. There were used condoms in his jacket that was a few metres from the body.

The incident happened between Tuesday night and early hours of Wednesday and the suspects are still at large. A group of school children found the bloodied body near a house where he was staying as a caretaker. The house is owned by a Diasporan, identified only as Mr Mathema.

Responding to the murder, Chronicle circulation manager Mr Martin Sibanda said he was gutted by Mazhindu's death. He said Mazhindu was a straight forward worker who was always reliable, adding that the company had lost a person who contributed immensely towards the selling of Zimpapers products.

"We were shocked to receive the news of his passing on yesterday and as a company we are still finding it difficult to come to terms with the loss. Mazhindu was one of those people whom I have known to be honest and dedicated to his duties. In him the company lost an honest worker. May his soul rest in eternal peace," said Mr Sibanda.

Fellow vendors who spoke to the news crew expressed shock.

"He sold newspapers at corner 6th Avenue and Robert Mugabe Way. He was always jovial. I can't think of a reason why someone would want to kill him. I know he had two grown up children," said a vendor who declined to be named. A sister to the owner of the house where Farai used to stay Mrs Annah Jongondi said she could not think of a motive for the gruesome killing.

"Rasta was just a person I knew as peaceful. He was a newspaper vendor for the Chronicle and a caretaker here at my brother's house who is in the United States of America. We never had a problem with him. That is the reason why I was shocked to learn of the news of his death this morning," she said.

Bulawayo Provincial Police Spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube yesterday said police were yet to make arrests.

Inspector Abednico Ncube He said: "On Wednesday at around 7 am, the informant was at her place of residence when she was told by a group of school children that an unknown male adult was lying in a pool of blood on the grass opposite her place of residence. The informant made a report at ZRP Luveve."

"The body was lying on the grass opposite the informant's house in old Luveve, Bulawayo facing downwards. The deceased was half dressed with scotched brown trousers which were dropped to knee level. The deceased's body had a swollen head with bruises on the left side of his forehead, bruises on his knees and elbows, private parts were ripped open, blood was oozing from the nose and ears," said Insp Ncube.

Mazhindu's blue jacket, he said, was found approximately four meters away from the body and it had blood stains. Insp Ncube said some used condoms were found in Mazhindu's jacket pockets.

"Drag marks approximately ten metres were observed at the scene leading from the tarred road to where the body was found lying. Blood stains were also seen on the tarred road. The body was ferried to united Bulawayo hospitals for post-mortem," said Insp Ncube.

A news crew observed bloodstained broken large stones which could have been used in the attack, at the scene.

Insp Ncube appealed to the members of the public with information which might lead to the arrest of the perpetrators to approach their nearest police station or send an anonymous tip through suggestion boxes.