A Bulawayo man has appeared in court facing allegations of killing a female vendor at a farm near Cement Side, stealing her cell phone and shoving her body in a thicket.
The court heard that the man allegedly teamed up with his accomplice, who is still on the run.
Lucky Sibanda (39) and Michel Mbewe allegedly led Tsitsi Theodore Hove to a farm, on the eastern side of Middlelands Farm house after misleading her to believe there was a better clientele for her products at that place.
Hove’s body was discovered by a herd boy who reported the matter to the police.
She was identified by her husband through the clothes she was wearing.
Sibanda appeared before Bulawayo magistrate, Lizwe Jamela, facing a murder charge and was remanded in custody to tomorrow.
State representative, Denmark Chihombe, told the court that on August 27 last year, Sibanda and Mbewe (who is still at large) met Hove in Cement Side on her way to sell tomatoes and cigarettes in the surrounding Spring Farm Villages.
“Sibanda and Mbewe duped her into believing that there was a mine after Middlelands Farm where tomatoes and cigarettes were in high demand. They allegedly offered to accompany the unsuspecting woman and she agreed, ” said Chihombe.
“The trio walked along a foot path in a bushy area, and when they reached a paddock on the eastern side of Middlelands Farm house, Sibanda struck the woman with a wooden stick, causing her death.”
Chihombe said the pair stashed Hove’s body in some thickets and stole her Samsung J1 cell phone, tomatoes and cigarettes.
“Hove’s body was discovered at an advanced state of decomposition by a herd boy at the farm. It was taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) mortuary where her husband identified her through her clothing,” said the prosecutor.
