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Family demands closure to 19-year-old murder case

Local News
Comm' General Godwin Matanga

A CHEGUTU man has implored Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga to expedite the probe into the alleged release of suspects linked to the murder of his brother in 2003.

Shingirai Dendera, a brother to the now-deceased Tambudzai, claims that the suspects who allegedly killed his brother at a farm in Mandalay Park after accusing them of stealing maize, were released before the close of the State case, 19 years ago.

The accused in the matter, Fredrick Ngombe, a Mandalay Park farmer, Tonderai Murehwa, Fungai Manyumwa and Amon Terrence stood trial in 2007 on a murder charge at the High Court under file number CR343-4/07/2003, but were released before finalisation of the matter.

Documents seen by NewsDay show that since 2020, Shingirai has made several complaints to the police, the National Prosecuting Authority, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and the Judicial Service Commission seeking an investigation into the alleged release of the suspects without following due process.

In his complaint, Shingirai alleges that a public prosecutor only identified as Mabeza consented to the release of one of the suspects under unclear circumstances, which deterred finalisation of the matter.

Shingirai told NewsDay that his efforts to get justice for his brother failed to yield results after the accused were set free.

In his letter to Matanga, dated August 23, 2022, he said the police misrepresented that they could not locate the suspect.

“I would like to allude to my letter of complaint dated November 12, 2020 and the reply from your office dated December 2022. On numerous occasions, I have communicated to Chief Inspector Saruda, and sometime this year to Inspector Dzumbunu. There is an indication that no standing instruction exists to reconstruct the docket. It is also false that the accused cannot be traced,” Shingirai wrote.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi was not picking calls yesterday.

Acting prosecutor-general Nelson Mutsonziwa said he was not privy to the issue and referred questions to his deputy Justin Uladi.

Uladi was not answering his phone.

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