Bulawayo man strangled by hitchhiker in shocking carjacking incident

A 50-year-old Bulawayo man met a gruesome death on Tuesday after being strangled with his car's seat belt by a hitchhiker in a chilling incident along Randun Road in Upper Rangemore, Bulawayo.

Police on Wednesday confirmed the tragic event, revealing that the victim, Albert Tsuma, had been traveling in a Honda CRV with his son when they offered a lift to the suspect.

According to the police, the hitchhiker turned on the Good Samaritan, brandishing a firearm and forcing Tsuma to follow an unregistered BMW that was driving ahead of them.

"The suspect strangled the victim with a seat belt after the vehicle ran out of fuel. He then fled the scene in the BMW," police said in a statement posted on their official X handle.

Tsuma's lifeless body was later transported to Bulawayo Hospital for a postmortem. Authorities are now appealing to members of the public for information that could lead to the apprehension of the suspect.

"We urge anyone with information on the incident to come forward and report to the nearest police station," the police statement added.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the local community, sparking renewed concerns about road safety and the risks associated with offering lifts to strangers.