In a tragic incident that left workers at Caroline Farm in Marondera shell-shocked, a 28-year-old employee allegedly struck and killed her 45-year-old employer with a steel bar following a dispute over payment of her terminal benefits after she had been fired.
by Jairos Saunyama
Ruth Pakanengwa is now in police custody after she was arrested on charges of murdering Julio Jairos, the farm owner.
Mashonaland East Province police spokesperson Inspector Nobert Muzondo was not available for comment yesterday.
Although it could not be immediately established how much the suspect was owed, some witnesses claimed that Jairos had refused to pay Pakanengwa $2.
According to police papers gleaned by this paper, on Wednesday at around 7:45am, the accused proceeded to the tobacco fields of the now-deceased where she approached the farm manager, Kainos Jaisi (34), intending to find out about her salary.
While they were still discussing, Jairos arrived and asked the manager what Pakanengwa was still doing at the farm since she had already been dismissed from work. This did not go down with the accused who reportedly shouted at the now-deceased in the presence of other workers.
It is alleged Jairos ordered the accused to accompany him to her residence at the farm where he wanted to remove her property from the house.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Upon arrival, it is alleged that Pakanengwa picked a rail bar and struck Jairos on the head once. Jairos shouted to his manager informing him that he had been hit by the accused. It is reported that Jaisi rushed to the scene where he found his boss on the ground. Jaisi poured a bucket of water on Jairos in a bid to resuscitate him but in vain.
Jaisi then ferried Jairos to Borrodaile Hospital in Marondera where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The deceased’s body was taken to Marondera Provincial Hospital for post-mortem.
A citizen arrest was effected on Pakanengwa, who was brought to Marondera Police Station.
Recently, war veteran and farmer Partson Musarandoga was killed by his 26-year-old worker, Tapiwa Sigali, over another salary dispute. His body was found 11 days after the murder in a dam at his farm, while Sigali, who had fled with the war veteran’s car to Kariba, was later arrested and pleaded guilty to the murder charge.
