Bulawayo serial killer back in court

A MAN from Bulawayo who allegedly shot his friend, buried him in a shallow grave in Burnside suburb and sent a message to the deceased's mother pretending to be her son suddenly leaving the country, was back in court yesterday.

Rodney Tongai Jindu (26) of Glengarry suburb is facing a charge of murdering his childhood friend Cyprian Kudzurunga (28) of Queens Park East on January 29.

Another case where he allegedly killed another friend, suspected to be Mboneli Joko Ncube, is on hold as DNA tests are still being done on the body.

Jindu confirmed his statements in Kudzurunga's killing before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya, who remanded him to March 21.

The gallery was cleared before the session proceeded.

State allegations are that Jindu also stole his friend's laptop and cellphone which he sold in the city centre.

Jindu was arrested after he gave inconsistent statements to investigators.

He allegedly later confessed to killing his friend and led police to the shallow grave where he had buried Kudzurunga.

Prosecuting, Mr Nkathazo Dlodlo said on January 29 this year, Jindu was walking with Kudzurunga from Glengarry to Queens Park East.

He said Jindu was armed with an Optima pistol serial number 13752.

"After walking for a while, Jindu, who was walking behind Kudzurunga, fired one shot from behind and shot him in the head and abdomen twice and he fell down and died on the spot. He took his cellphone and laptop," said Mr Dlodlo.

He said after realising that he had killed his friend, Jindu rushed back home and hid the pistol and Kudzurunga's laptop in his workshop.

Mr Dlodlo said he took a wheelbarrow and returned to where the body lay. He shoved the body into a plastic bag, loaded it onto the wheelbarrow and pushed it back home.

He later drove to Burnside where he secretly buried the body.

Jindu made indications which led to the location and exhumation of the body.

Police recovered the stolen goods and the firearm allegedly used in committing the offence.

In Ncube's case, Jindu allegedly drove to a supermarket situated at corner Robert Mugabe Way and 11th Avenue and met the victim.

They proceeded to Burnside suburb, but the reason for the trip was not mentioned in court papers.

On arrival in Burnside, Jindu allegedly pulled out the Optima pistol from his car and allegedly shot Ncube twice in the chest and he died on the spot.

He then allegedly chopped the body into pieces, set them on fire before burying them in four different shallow graves.

Jindu confessed to the killing after his arrest.

He allegedly made indications which led to the recovery of the body parts at four different sites where they were buried.