Two men have been arraigned before the Bulawayo High Court on allegations of murdering a motorist who had offered them a lift from Maitengwe border post in Plumtree by slitting his throat and burning his body beyond recognition in a bid to conceal their crime.
Trust Bhunu from Malonga Village in Dete and Trust Ngwenya of Lusulu area in Binga allegedly murdered Memory Deredza who was travelling in a Mazda Bongo Kombi from Botswana enroute to Masvingo.
The pair appeared before Justice Evangelista Kabasa facing charges of robbery and murder.
According to State allegations, Deredza offered the duo a lift on August 19 2019, from the border to Plumtree who along the way hatched a plan to rob him of his vehicle.
The court heard that Bhunu asked Deredza to stop the car as he wanted to relieve himself and as Deredza waited, Ngwenya allegedly pounced on him and Bhunu joined in the scuffle, stabbing Deredza once close to the armpit.
Deredza attempted to flee but collapsed and Ngwenya held his legs while Bhunu slit his throat.
After ascertaining he was dead, the State alleged, the two necklaced him with two tires on the head and legs, added dry tree leaves, poured diesel on his body before setting him ablaze.
The state further alleged that they took the car intending to drive to Binga but had a breakdown at a police roadblock which prompted them to divert to one Mildred Bhunu’s homestead where they left it parked.
“Bhunu and Ngwenya were apprehended after police tracked Deredza’s cell phone which they had sold to one Sithokozile Maphosa. Maphosa and her husband Norman Tambudzi, during investigations, told the police that they bought the phone from Bhunu. After interrogations by the police, Bhunu implicated Ngwenya and they indicated to the police where they had left Deredza’s remains,” alleged the State.
