News / Local
Soldier, cop remanded in custody for killing theft suspect
02 Nov 2023 at 05:39hrs | Views
A soldier and a police sergeant have appeared in the Harare Magistrates Court on charges of allegedly killing a man they suspected of stealing scaffolding poles from a neighboring property while they were on guard duty.
Dennis Tafirei Nyati, a 32-year-old private in the army, and police Sergeant Stanley Muchimba, aged 32, appeared before Magistrate Dennis Mangosi, facing charges of murder. They have been remanded in custody until November 15 and were advised to seek bail at the High Court.
According to the allegations, on October 28 of this year, the accused individuals received information that Emilington Machinga and the now-deceased, Blessing Zadzi, were involved in the theft of six scaffolding poles from a property located at 2823 ED Mnangagwa Road, Glen Lorne, Harare.
It is further alleged that on October 29, the accused persons apprehended Machinga on the premises and, after interviewing him, he allegedly incriminated Zadzi as his accomplice.
On the same date, around 22:00, the accused persons reportedly made a follow-up and apprehended the now-deceased at Chigayo Inn (Takura Shops). They allegedly assaulted him with an iron bar while pinning his legs under concrete weights.
The accused individuals continued to assault Zadzi with a hose pipe all over his body and forced him to roll down a steep slope. When they reached the foot of the slope, they allegedly continued to assault and torture Zadzi with hot plastic papers under his feet.
The accused persons then took the unconscious victim to his father, who refused to take him in due to his condition. Upon realizing that Zadzi had fallen unconscious, the accused individuals carried him and left him in a bushy area, where he was later found dead.
Dennis Tafirei Nyati, a 32-year-old private in the army, and police Sergeant Stanley Muchimba, aged 32, appeared before Magistrate Dennis Mangosi, facing charges of murder. They have been remanded in custody until November 15 and were advised to seek bail at the High Court.
According to the allegations, on October 28 of this year, the accused individuals received information that Emilington Machinga and the now-deceased, Blessing Zadzi, were involved in the theft of six scaffolding poles from a property located at 2823 ED Mnangagwa Road, Glen Lorne, Harare.
It is further alleged that on October 29, the accused persons apprehended Machinga on the premises and, after interviewing him, he allegedly incriminated Zadzi as his accomplice.
On the same date, around 22:00, the accused persons reportedly made a follow-up and apprehended the now-deceased at Chigayo Inn (Takura Shops). They allegedly assaulted him with an iron bar while pinning his legs under concrete weights.
The accused individuals continued to assault Zadzi with a hose pipe all over his body and forced him to roll down a steep slope. When they reached the foot of the slope, they allegedly continued to assault and torture Zadzi with hot plastic papers under his feet.
The accused persons then took the unconscious victim to his father, who refused to take him in due to his condition. Upon realizing that Zadzi had fallen unconscious, the accused individuals carried him and left him in a bushy area, where he was later found dead.
Source - The Herald
