Suspected thief, rapist brutally murdered

A suspected rapist cum thief from Missouri Farm on the outskirts of Gweru got more than he bargained for when he was kidnapped and brutally killed by four villagers who suspected that he wanted to rape a local woman.

It is alleged that the now deceased Isheunesu Gobore (27) was abducted by Trymore Khumalo (25), Herbert Chivasa (31), Knowledge Dube (30) Sikhalaliwe Mlalazi (24) and Reason Ndlovu (45) all of Summerset Farm in Gweru before they tied him on a wooden pole and took turns to assault him with machetes until he died.

It is understood that Gobore died on the spot due to the injuries sustained as a result of the assault.

Four of the suspects Khumalo, Chivasa, Dube and Mlalazi were immediately arrested while Ndlovu disappeared from the farm to evade arrest and is still on the run.

The four were last week arraigned before Gweru magistrate Mr Tendai Madanhire facing murder charges.

They were remanded in custody to 26 September and Mr Madanhire advised them to apply to the High Court for bail.

For the State, Ms Helen Khosa told the court that on 26 August this year, the five accused persons heard someone trying to break into one of the houses at the farm and suspected that the person wanted to rape a woman and steal birds from their fowl run while they were sleeping.

Ms Khosa further alleged that when the four woke up the following morning they followed footprints that led them to the now deceased Gobore's homestead although the suspected burglar had failed to break in.

The court heard that the five took Gobore and force-marched him to their farm where they tied him to a wooden pole of the fence and started assaulting him with machetes, a sjambok, a log, booted feet and fists all over the body.

Ms Khosa told the court that Gobore died instantly due to the assault. Khumalo, Chivasa, Dube and Mlalazi were immediately apprehended by villagers and taken to the police but Ndlovu managed to escape.