Bulawayo residents up for murder of theft suspect

POLICE in Bulawayo have arrested five residents accused of murdering a house breaker after taking turns to assault him with sticks, resulting in his death at Mpilo hospital.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the case last Friday.

‘'The five are Tawanda Mhazo (23) Erick Moyo (25) Rusher Jimela (65) Lovington Sibanda (64) and Garikai Mhazo (53)  all of Upper Rangemore, Umguza.

It is alleged that on January 26 around 2am Mhazo was asleep in his house when he was awakened by a loud sound from the door.  He went to check outside and saw Waitor Moyo, the now deceased, who was naked and armed with a hoe trying to break the door.

Moyo then allegedly fled from the scene after he realised that he had been noticed.

He later returned with an axe and started chopping the door prompting Mhazo to call for help from his four neighbours who are now his co-accused.

"They apprehended Moyo and assaulted him using sticks and other unknown objects all over his body, and thereafter took him to the police station.

Mhazo reported a case of malicious damage to his property to police officers.  Moyo was later taken to Mpilo Hospital where he died at around 5:45 am.

Ncube urged members of the public to desist from taking the law into their hands, but to assist in apprehending criminals by taking them to the nearest police stations.