Beverly Bizeki
What was meant to be a mob justice for one suspected Gutu thief turned fatal after he was beaten to death by a Bikita mob intending to mete justice on the suspect.
The now deceased man from Chitsvori village under Chief Chitsa in Gutu accused of committing a series of unlawful entry and theft crimes allegedly left villagers reeling with anger after losing grocery items to him.
Masvingo Province Police Spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed the incident.
It is reported that villagers from Bhadharai village under Chief Mukanganwi in Bikita had for some time since April 2023 to May 2023 been complaining of house break-ins in their village.
37 year-old Takunda Mutsiki and Regis Bhadharai received information to the effect that Johannes Mandava from Chitsvori village and a teenage boy from Kunedzimwe village in Bikita were the culprits behind the mischief.
On May 21, 2023 a group of nine villagers teamed up and went to Hightown Night Club to look for the suspects, met the teenager and demanded to know of Mandava’s whereabouts.
The teenager told the accused persons that Mandava resided in Bhadharai village after which they went and paid him a visit at around 0300 hours the following day.
It is reported that the group which consisted of Taurai Chirume (27), Lameck Togarasei (20), William Maunganidze (28), Munashe Mabasa (19), Muchariza Marufu (51), Maxwell Mukomba (19) and another teenage boy beat Mandava all over the body using switches at Evans Moyo’s place.
Moyo intervened and restrained the mob from beating the man and left him writhing in pain.
At around 0830 hours, Mandava’s condition deteriorated and he died at Moyo’s place.
Moyo reported the matter to police at Nyika Base who attended the scene and discovered that the deceased had a swollen rib cage with bruises all over the body.
The body was taken to Silveira Mission Hospital for post mortem and investigations are still underway while the accused persons are in police custody.
