Tendai Charumbira
A 30-year-old man from B19 Mathendele, Plumtree Chrispen Maphosa also believed to be a member of Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) accused of killing two people on December 26 2019, at Shayamabvudzi Business Centre in Mwenezi mysteriously disappeared at Masvingo High Court on March 17.
Maphosa who is facing two charges of murder is said to have attended the first session of the trial in the morning and was waiting for the second one which was set to resume at 1400 hours after which he was nowhere to be found.
Dereck Charamba a lawyer from Hwacha and Ndhlovu law firm who was representing Maphosa confirmed that his client did not show up for the second segment of his trial.
“Maphosa came to court and attended the first segment of his second trial and the court was set to continue at 1400 hours but when the second segment was about to start, he was nowhere to be found,” said Charamba.
Maphosa and the other two soldiers Tapiwanashe Basopo (37) and Collen Ncube(29) all from HQ1 brigade in Bulawayo were deployed at Majingwe Ranch in Mwenezi during the festive period. On December 26, 2019, Olman Nyunyana complained about a case of assault which occurred on Christmas day in which his young brother Ernest Nyunyana was the victim.
The accused volunteered to track the deceased persons. Maphosa and the other accused were armed with AK47 rifles. Three accused were dressed partially in army regalia. They reportedly hired a pick-up truck from Josiah Bulawa and arrived at Shayamabvudzi Business Center at approximately 2100 hours.
He the confronted Sifelani Matarise concerning the assault but Matarise bolted out and ran away to alert his brothers. The three brothers armed themselves with machetes, an iron bar, a knife and a screwdriver then confronted the accused persons who were also armed with AK47 rifles. The three accused persons then opened fire and shot Sifelani Matarise on the chest and he died on the spot, also shot Hosiah Matarise on the head and again he died on the spot.
Ngonidzaishe Matarise the younger brother took flight and reported the matter. The police teamed up with military police and arrested the accused after which they recovered four live rounds, three spend cartridges, magazines and two AK rifles .The deceased bodies were taken to Masvingo Provincial Hospital for postmortem.
