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Suspected thief killers get bail

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Thirteen Hurungwe villagers, who are facing charges of killing a suspected thief, have been granted bail by the High Court.

Thirteen Hurungwe villagers, who are facing charges of killing a suspected thief, have been granted bail by the High Court. By Nhau Mangirazi

The suspects, represented by Samuel Muyemeki of Mapaya and Associates, were granted $50 bail each.

Karoi magistrate Samuel Chitumwa did not ask the 13 to plead when they appeared for initial remand and denied them bail. The State alleges that the suspects killed a habitual thief, Elisha Ben, two weeks ago. Prosecutors said the now-deceased had been terrorising villagers.

On the day he met his fate, Ben and his alleged accomplice, Edias Fondondo, took advantage of Evelyn Pemhiwa’s absence and unlawfully entered her house.

However, four neighbours — Martin Kwashi, Tafadzwa Zvenyika, Wellington Zvenyika and Sylvester Tichareva — managed to apprehend Ben.

Ben was assaulted after confessing that he was behind a spate of thefts in the village. Other villagers joined the four in assaulting the suspect all over, leaving him unable to walk.

The villagers borrowed a wheelbarrow, as they wanted to recover the stolen property, but Ben died along the way. A report was made at Magunje Police Station, resulting in the arrest of the suspects.