News / Local
Ximex dealer guns down lover
30 Jul 2022 at 19:06hrs | Views
A dealer at the former Ximex Mall in Harare, Tafadzwa Murengwa alias Boss Pangolin, yesterday shot and killed his ex-girlfriend near Bathroom Boutique along Simon Mazorodze Road in Waterfalls after accusing her of cheating.
The incident, which has shocked many people including his close friends, came when he stunned many on Thursday afternoon after he dished out about US$2 000 to those that passed near the former Ximex Mall area.
A video circulating on social media shows commotion as Murengwa threw US dollar notes on the streets while driving an unregistered Toyota Aqua vehicle before driving off.
Investigations have so far revealed that Murengwa, of Glen Lorne in Harare, visited the former Ximex Mall area a few minutes after he was granted bail at the Harare Magistrates Court in a case where he had been arrested on Wednesday for assaulting the now deceased ex-girlfriend, Samantha Dzapata (28) of Waterfalls.
Murengwa had appeared in court facing charges of domestic violence and threats of violence, but was released on bail.
One of his close friends said following his release, Murengwa had told Samantha that he wanted to kill her.
The friend said on July 22, Murengwa was served with a protection order for emotional and physical abuse by Samantha, who had made a report in Beitbridge where she was residing and working.
However, yesterday morning, Samantha, who was in the company of her sister — who was only identified as Cathy — decided to go and make another police report at Highlands Police Station, where she had made the previous domestic violence report.
It is understood that while walking along Simon Mazorodze Road, Murengwa who was driving his vehicle, suddenly appeared and shot Samantha once on the head before speeding off.
She died on the spot and a report was made to the police.
By the time of going to print last night, Murengwa was still at large.
There are unconfirmed reports that Murengwa had recently bought Samantha a car.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident and said investigations were in progress.
"The ZRP is appealing for information which may lead to the arrest of Tafadzwa Russel Murengwa of Glen Lorne, Harare, in connection with the callous shooting and murder of his ex-lover Samatha Dzapata aged 28 of Waterfalls, along Simon Mazorodze at around 0900 hours. Anyone with information should contact any nearest police station," he said.
Murengwa and Samantha are said to have been in love since 2019 and had recently travelled to Victoria Falls where they engaged.
However, since then the couple had been quarrelling almost daily, with Murengwa accusing Samantha of cheating on him with a married man whose particulars are still not known.
Yesterday, Murengwa made an almost 14-minute recording explaining what had transpired to one of his close friends.
In the recording, he alleged that sometime in January this year, Samantha had terminated their relationship, before he travelled to Beitbridge on March 3, in a bid to reconcile with her.
"I went to Beitbridge to talk to her and her mother also talked with her and said that we should reconcile and solve our differences. We reconciled but before we went to Victoria Falls on a Sunday, someone video called her but she could not answer.
"I then asked her why she had not answered the call, but could not give me a satisfactory answer. I forcibly took her phone and discovered that she was cheating on me with another guy. I even saw the guy's pictures in her mobile phone and this resulted in a dispute," he said.
In the audio, Murengwa said after travelling to Victoria Falls for their engagement, Samantha allegedly ended the relationship again, which did not go down well with him, resulting in yet another heated dispute, before he assaulted her.
Murengwa later took Samantha for treatment and alleges that he spent about US$600.
He was then arrested for the assault case and appeared in court where he was granted bail.
"After I was granted bail I bought her an expensive watch and some perfumes as a way of apologising for what I had done before she left for Beitbridge. While she was in Beitbridge I then bought her a car through some agents.
"However, since last Wednesday I could not get hold of Samantha on her cellphone and that is when I decided to phone the man I suspect to have been having an affair with Samantha.
"When I questioned him, the guy started telling me everything about our relationship with Samantha and even the details of our Victoria Falls trip," he said.
Murengwa said he then drove to Beitbridge where Samantha refused to meet with him.
On his way back, Murengwa said he drove to Gutu, Masvingo where he bought Samantha's mother some groceries worth over US$200 before giving her US$50 cash.
He said he also met with Samantha's father in Bindura and her aunt in Chitungwiza following his return from Gutu.
Murengwa said on Wednesday when he appeared in court, he was shocked to learn that Samantha had also brought a peace order against him and this did not go down well with him.
"On the same day at around noon, I went to her house and parked my vehicle from a distance. Samantha came home around 5pm while in the company of her sister. She did not spend much time inside the house and during that time, that guy (he suspected to be having a relationship with Samantha) arrived at their gate before picking her up and they went to a lodge," he alleged.
He said he then phoned the man informing him that he wanted to marry Samantha and that what he was doing was not good at all, but the conversation resulted in a heated argument between the two.
Murengwa said yesterday morning, he realised Samantha was no longer interested in him, before deciding to drive to her Waterfalls home.
"While I was driving along Simon Mazorodze Road, I saw Samantha walking with her sister Cathy and I asked her about how she was going to pay back my money and also that she had ended our relationship to date a married man.
"She then started running away and throwing stones at me. Since I was highly emotional, I then fired some shots towards where they were before I drove to Mazowe and right now I am in Bindura waiting for someone who wants to give me a few things. When I left home this morning, I told them that I was not going to come back and lied to them that I was travelling to China for work," he said.
Murengwa was said to have been keen to cross the border into Mozambique through Mukumbura.
He claimed that he "acted out of emotions" after everything "I have tried to make things right".
"I travelled countrywide including to Gutu to meet with her mother and also paying fees for her young sister, among others. I really tried everything and the way she was now acting is the reason that triggered my emotions.
"I wasted almost US$3 000 trying to reconcile with her for the past three weeks. And even yesterday (Thursday) when I threw almost US$2 000 in town, it was out of frustration," he said.
Murengwa apologised to the Dzapata family for the incident.
By last night, police were still trying to locate him.
The incident, which has shocked many people including his close friends, came when he stunned many on Thursday afternoon after he dished out about US$2 000 to those that passed near the former Ximex Mall area.
A video circulating on social media shows commotion as Murengwa threw US dollar notes on the streets while driving an unregistered Toyota Aqua vehicle before driving off.
Investigations have so far revealed that Murengwa, of Glen Lorne in Harare, visited the former Ximex Mall area a few minutes after he was granted bail at the Harare Magistrates Court in a case where he had been arrested on Wednesday for assaulting the now deceased ex-girlfriend, Samantha Dzapata (28) of Waterfalls.
Murengwa had appeared in court facing charges of domestic violence and threats of violence, but was released on bail.
One of his close friends said following his release, Murengwa had told Samantha that he wanted to kill her.
The friend said on July 22, Murengwa was served with a protection order for emotional and physical abuse by Samantha, who had made a report in Beitbridge where she was residing and working.
However, yesterday morning, Samantha, who was in the company of her sister — who was only identified as Cathy — decided to go and make another police report at Highlands Police Station, where she had made the previous domestic violence report.
It is understood that while walking along Simon Mazorodze Road, Murengwa who was driving his vehicle, suddenly appeared and shot Samantha once on the head before speeding off.
She died on the spot and a report was made to the police.
By the time of going to print last night, Murengwa was still at large.
There are unconfirmed reports that Murengwa had recently bought Samantha a car.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident and said investigations were in progress.
"The ZRP is appealing for information which may lead to the arrest of Tafadzwa Russel Murengwa of Glen Lorne, Harare, in connection with the callous shooting and murder of his ex-lover Samatha Dzapata aged 28 of Waterfalls, along Simon Mazorodze at around 0900 hours. Anyone with information should contact any nearest police station," he said.
Murengwa and Samantha are said to have been in love since 2019 and had recently travelled to Victoria Falls where they engaged.
However, since then the couple had been quarrelling almost daily, with Murengwa accusing Samantha of cheating on him with a married man whose particulars are still not known.
Yesterday, Murengwa made an almost 14-minute recording explaining what had transpired to one of his close friends.
In the recording, he alleged that sometime in January this year, Samantha had terminated their relationship, before he travelled to Beitbridge on March 3, in a bid to reconcile with her.
"I went to Beitbridge to talk to her and her mother also talked with her and said that we should reconcile and solve our differences. We reconciled but before we went to Victoria Falls on a Sunday, someone video called her but she could not answer.
"I then asked her why she had not answered the call, but could not give me a satisfactory answer. I forcibly took her phone and discovered that she was cheating on me with another guy. I even saw the guy's pictures in her mobile phone and this resulted in a dispute," he said.
Murengwa later took Samantha for treatment and alleges that he spent about US$600.
He was then arrested for the assault case and appeared in court where he was granted bail.
"After I was granted bail I bought her an expensive watch and some perfumes as a way of apologising for what I had done before she left for Beitbridge. While she was in Beitbridge I then bought her a car through some agents.
"However, since last Wednesday I could not get hold of Samantha on her cellphone and that is when I decided to phone the man I suspect to have been having an affair with Samantha.
"When I questioned him, the guy started telling me everything about our relationship with Samantha and even the details of our Victoria Falls trip," he said.
Murengwa said he then drove to Beitbridge where Samantha refused to meet with him.
On his way back, Murengwa said he drove to Gutu, Masvingo where he bought Samantha's mother some groceries worth over US$200 before giving her US$50 cash.
He said he also met with Samantha's father in Bindura and her aunt in Chitungwiza following his return from Gutu.
Murengwa said on Wednesday when he appeared in court, he was shocked to learn that Samantha had also brought a peace order against him and this did not go down well with him.
"On the same day at around noon, I went to her house and parked my vehicle from a distance. Samantha came home around 5pm while in the company of her sister. She did not spend much time inside the house and during that time, that guy (he suspected to be having a relationship with Samantha) arrived at their gate before picking her up and they went to a lodge," he alleged.
He said he then phoned the man informing him that he wanted to marry Samantha and that what he was doing was not good at all, but the conversation resulted in a heated argument between the two.
Murengwa said yesterday morning, he realised Samantha was no longer interested in him, before deciding to drive to her Waterfalls home.
"While I was driving along Simon Mazorodze Road, I saw Samantha walking with her sister Cathy and I asked her about how she was going to pay back my money and also that she had ended our relationship to date a married man.
"She then started running away and throwing stones at me. Since I was highly emotional, I then fired some shots towards where they were before I drove to Mazowe and right now I am in Bindura waiting for someone who wants to give me a few things. When I left home this morning, I told them that I was not going to come back and lied to them that I was travelling to China for work," he said.
Murengwa was said to have been keen to cross the border into Mozambique through Mukumbura.
He claimed that he "acted out of emotions" after everything "I have tried to make things right".
"I travelled countrywide including to Gutu to meet with her mother and also paying fees for her young sister, among others. I really tried everything and the way she was now acting is the reason that triggered my emotions.
"I wasted almost US$3 000 trying to reconcile with her for the past three weeks. And even yesterday (Thursday) when I threw almost US$2 000 in town, it was out of frustration," he said.
Murengwa apologised to the Dzapata family for the incident.
By last night, police were still trying to locate him.
Source - The Herald
