Beverly Bizeki
In yet another incident of mob justice gone wrong, a Chiredzi man was killed by fellow villagers who were accusing him of stealing 10 donkeys that had gone missing in the village on November 13 at Mawiro school grounds in Netumbare village.
Masvingo Province deputy Police Spokesperson Assistant Inspector Lorraine Ndlovu Chanakira confirmed the incident and urged members of the public to desist from taking the law into their own hands.
“I urge members of the public to desist from taking the law into their own hands. We appreciate that members of the public identify suspects in communities and report to responsible authorities but they must not administer justice,” said Chanakira.
Circumstances are that on the fateful day, 42 year old Hlomani Mahlavire, Naveto Vhlengoma (56), Petros Mazarire (46) and villagers of Mboma village lost about 10 donkeys and suspected that 38year old Nicholas Jakata of Netumbare village was responsible for stealing the missing donkeys.
The group tracked Jakata at Gondanyemba Open Market where they confronted him on the stolen donkeys.
Jakata felt he had been accused and decided to inform the village head William Chitsange and the group of villagers decided to follow him too and they met his accomplice only identified as Chisiiwa (43) from Mubvongodzi village.
The group met the two at Mawiro School ground and interrogated both of them with Jakata tied on both the hands and legs with Mopani tree barks. They took turns to beat him up with Mopani sticks forcing him to confess about stealing the donkeys which led to his death at around 2000 hours.
A report was made to the police and they found his body facing upwards with multiple bruises on his body and his dreadlock were found stashed in his woolen hat on his side and the body was taken to Chiredzi General Hospital.
Investigations are still going on.
