A Zimbabwean man, Munakiishe Chinyoka was killed and his body burnt before being thrown into a dam by two hit men allegedly hired by his 39-year-old girlfriend Loice Mahlamvana, who accused him of abusing her.
Mahlamvana allegedly paid the hit men $100 to kill her boyfriend Chinyoka,42, whom she accused of abusing her.
Chenjerai Zhou, 37, who is Mahlamvana’s ex-boyfriend and Tavonga Shoko, 29, were allegedly paid $50 each to commit the gruesome murder.
Mahlamvana said she no longer loved Mr Chinyoka but he was refusing to accept this.
Mahlamvana, Zhou and Shoko all of Nyikinya Village, Chief Maziofa in Mberengwa were arrested on Saturday, February 3, three months after the murder.
The trio appeared before Mberengwa resident magistrate Mrs Evia Matura on Tuesday, February 6, facing murder charges. They were remanded in custody to February 15 and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
According to statement made in court, Mahlamvana was Chinyoka’s girlfriend until sometime last November when their relationship turned sour.
Mr Chinyoka started accusing Mahlamvana of having many boyfriends and he allegedly started assaulting her.
On November 29, Mahlamvana allegedly hired Zhou and Shoko to kill Mr Chinyoka and paid them $50 each.
During the same night, Zhou and Shoko allegedly followed Mr Chinyoka from a beer drink to Mahlamvana’s house.
The deceased entered Mahlamvana’s house and after a few minutes, Zhou and Shoko followed and found him sleeping on the floor.
Mr Chinyoka was allegedly blind folded by Shoko while Zhou assaulted him all over the body with a log until he became unconscious.
The two men carried him outside and when they discovered that he had died then allegedly hatched a plan to dispose the body. Mahlamvana allegedly provided a wheelbarrow and two litres of petrol.
The trio took the body to Mpandashango Dam.
They put the body in a nearby dry stream before pouring petrol on it and setting it on fire but only the deceased clothes and cellphone were burnt.
Zhou and Shoko allegedly tied a big stone to Mr Chinyoka’s body before throwing it into the dam.
On December 5, Mr Chinyoka’s body was seen floating in the dam and was retrieved before being taken to Mpilo Central Hospital for post-mortem.
Police investigations led to the arrest of the trio.
