Police in Midlands Province have launched a manhunt for six young men suspected to be part of a gang of nine who allegedly killed a 66-year-old man during a reign of terror in Lower Gweru.
Boniface Nkomazana was reportedly killed by a group of machete-wielding men in Butete village under Chief Bunina around 11 PM on Saturday while walking home.
Police believe Nkomazana’s killers were part of a group of nine young men who had been moving around the village, assaulting people in their homes. Three suspects have already been arrested in connection with the murder.
The spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in Midlands Province, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko, said Nkomazana was discovered on Sunday morning by a passer-by.
Lovemore Sibanda, a 38-year-old from Butete village, Lower Gweru, found the victim lying in a pool of blood around 7 AM.
Police from Maboleni, who attended the scene, observed that the victim had a broken right leg, with a protruding bone at the ankle. The gang was allegedly armed with knives and machetes. Said Mahoko:
<blockquote>
He was taken to Gweru Provincial Hospital and a docket of attempted Murder was opened. Bornface Nkomazana died while on the way to hospital.
Investigation so far have revealed that Bornface Nkomazana was attacked by a group of nine youths, some of whom being residents of Jali village, Chief Bunina, Lower Gweru who are alleged to have moved from door to door in Butete village assaulting villagers.
Three other reports from the affected villagers were also made at Maboleni police station.
Quick follow-ups made by the station resulted in the arrest of the three suspects who are in Police custody. Six others are yet to be arrested.
</blockquote>
Mahoko identified the three arrested suspects as Thabani Ncube (19), Confidence Sibanda (20), and Mthulisi Ndebele (23), all from Jali village.
Police are appealing to the public for any information that may help locate the remaining six suspects, who have been identified as Thulisani Ndlovu, Takana Ndlovu, Denis Ndlovu, Peter, Sean, and Nqabutho.
More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200039367/police-hunt-for-six-suspects-after-gruesome-lower-gweru-gang-murder">NewsDay</a>

Pindula News

In Lower Gweru, a gang of nine young men went on a violent rampage, attacking people with machetes. They killed a 66-year-old man while he was walking home. The police have caught three suspects but are still looking for six more. The victim was found with a broken leg and died on the way to the hospital. The community is asked to help find the remaining suspects. The arrested suspects are from Jali village. The police are working hard to bring all the gang members to justice.

Machete Gang Unleashes Reign Of Terror In Lower Gweru

Three people were robbed of US$15 000 cash, 20 grammes of gold and various clothes by five unknown suspects in Mberi Village, Mutasa, on 08 July 2024.
According to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the assailants attacked the victims with machetes before robbing them of cash, gold and various items of clothing.
After the attack, the suspects quickly fled the scene using one of the complainants’ vehicles – a white Nissan Serena with registration number AFY 4673 which was loaded with 10 x 50 kilogramme bags of maize.
The three victims sustained varying degrees of injury during the assault and were subsequently transported to a hospital in Mutare for medical treatment.
Police in Penhalonga are now appealing to the public for any information that could assist their ongoing investigation.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

In Mutasa Village, three people were robbed of money, gold, and clothes by five suspects with machetes on July 8, 2024. The suspects ran away in a white Nissan Serena filled with maize bags. The victims got hurt and were taken to a hospital in Mutare. Police in Penhalonga are asking for help in finding the suspects. If you have any information, please contact the police.

US$15 000, 20 Grammes Gold Stolen In Mutasa Village Robbery

A 38-year-old man from Sojini, Mbembesi was shot in the left shoulder by a police officer last week.
The shooting incident reportedly occurred at the Mbembesi Police Station’s canteen after a fight erupted among revellers who were regular patrons.
The victim, Raymond Mkhomaza, is currently admitted at United Bulawayo Hospital (UBH) where he is receiving treatment.
Speaking to CITE’s <a href="https://cite.org.zw/man-shot-by-cop-at-mbembesi-police-station-canteen/">Senzeni Ncube</a> on Friday, Mkhomaza said the bullet was still lodged inside his body. He said:
<blockquote>
The incident occurred on Sunday around 5 am. We were drinking at the police canteen, we usually drink there as villagers and commotion erupted and we started fighting as patrons.
The police on duty came carrying a gun and headed straight to me as I was also fighting and in that commotion he pushed me, making me turn and he shot me.
I went to the charge office to report that I have been shot. I have spent six days here and the bullet is still inside.
I still have to go for an X-ray as the doctor said the bullet missed my heart, and I have a lot of air inside.
</blockquote>
Matabeleland North Provincial Police Spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda confirmed the incident to CITE but said the victim was part of a group that was deemed a threat as they were armed with “offensive weapons”. Said Banda:
<blockquote>
It happened in Mbembesi of course, I know the story. It’s been a while since it happened, it is not a new thing.
What happened was that these guys were found in the early morning hours at Mbembesi police canteen, they were holding some knobkerries and other offensive weapons.
Whatever they were carrying suggested that they were up to some evil because there is a history of theft at the canteen.
When they were asked what they were doing, they said “we are not afraid of your gun” and started advancing towards the policeman.
</blockquote>
Banda said the policeman fired two warning shots but the men continued advancing towards him. He said:
<blockquote>
The policeman had no option, then the other man was shot in the shoulder.
The next morning, the man who was shot in the shoulder showed up at the police station, saying he sustained an injury and was arrested.
</blockquote>
Insp. Banda denied claims that Mkhomaza was drinking with other patrons when he was shot. He said:
<blockquote>
That was not the time to drink and drinking has nothing to do with carrying knobkerries. You don’t need a knobkerrie to drink, you only need your money.
You don’t need weapons if you are about to drink, and if you are drinking it doesn’t mean you advance towards the policeman and try to attack him.
That incident has nothing to do with drinking.
</blockquote>
Police have in the past banned the carrying of dangerous weapons that include catapults, machetes, axes, knobkerries, swords, knives, or daggers in order to curb violent crime.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Man Shot By A Police Officer At Mbembesi Police Station Canteen

Two illegal gold miners, infamously called Mashurugwi, reportedly fought using dangerous weapons until they killed each other in Zvishavane last week on Monday.
Reports indicate that the fight between Tapfumaneyi Muza (28) of Hwinya Village, Chief Nhema and Gilbert Dendere (29) was so fierce that onlookers at Dombwe Business Centre fled into the bushes to hide.
The onlookers only returned to the scene after the noise died down and were shocked to see the two protagonists lying on the ground side by side, dead.
Muza had been released from prison on bail for attempted murder three days before the fatal fight.
He was represented in his bail application by Abitar Mugari of Pamacheche, Gundu and Dube Legal Practitioners.
According to a police memo seen by The Mirror, on 28 November 2022, at 9 PM at Dombwe Business Centre, Dendere who had a grudge against Muza approached the latter and they started fighting.
Muza allegedly stabbed Dendere with a Columbia knife several times in the chest and in retaliation, Dendere stabbed Muza in the neck and struck him with an axe on the left ear resulting in the deaths of the two.
Police were called to the scene and they collected the bodies.
Muza was previously arrested for stoning a police officer on duty at Dombwe and stabbing him with a knife three times.
Muza then took the cop’s gun which he surrendered to the nearest headman. | <a href="https://masvingomirror.com/2-mashurugwi-fight-each-until-they-both-drop-dead/">The Mirror</a>

Two "Mashurugwi" Fight Each Other Until They Both Drop Dead

ZANU PF spokesperson <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Simon_Khaya_Moyo" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Simon Khaya Moyo</a> has avoided to unequivocally disassociate his party from the violent machete gangs wreaking havoc across the country.
Asked by NewZimbabwe.com if the ruling party has anything to do with <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/MaShurugwi" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MaShurugwi</a> [he gangs have nothing to do with Shurugwi, a town located 20km northwest of <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Gweru" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gweru</a>], Moyo directed the publication to the Zimbabwe Republic Police. He said:
<blockquote>A number of machete-wielding gangs have been arrested so far. So, I think it is easy to find out from the police whether they are Zanu PF or not.</blockquote>
Machete gangs are derisively referred to by Zimbabweans as MaShurugwi, taking from Shurugwi, a chrome-mining district in central Zimbabwe.
The gangs have been accused of killing, robbing, maiming and r_ping people and spreading terror and anxiety across Zimbabwe.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/govt-zanu-pf-spokespersons-sneer-at-mashurugwi-link-claims/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NewZimbabwe.com</a></h4>

'Are Machete Gangs Linked To ZANU PF? Well, Ask The Police'

Police have raided Mbare’s Siyaso home industries and recovered 31 machetes and arrested seven people suspected to be selling the weapons to gangs, infamously called <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/MaShurugwi" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MaShurugwi</a>, who are terrorising the country.
The Herald quotes its source as saying that before “Operation Chikorokoza Ngachipere/No to Machete Gangs” was launched last week, machetes were selling like hot buns in mining areas. Said the source:
<blockquote>Information we have gathered is that some people were coming to buy machetes to protect themselves from attackers and that is why there was a huge demand for these weapons.
Some of the people were coming from mines to buy machetes in Mbare. The sellers would sell more than 20 machetes per day.
But when the operation was launched last week, the sales drastically went down as people were afraid of being found in possession of the machetes.</blockquote>
Reports indicate that a single machete was being sold for between US$6 and US$10 at Siyaso.
Police have arrested hundreds of MaShurugwi across the country who had become a menace, particularly in Mazowe, <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Chegutu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Chegutu</a> and <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Kadoma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kadoma</a>.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/police-raid-underground-machete-suppliers/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Herald</a></h4>

Police Raid Machete Suppliers At Mbare's Siyaso

<a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Norton" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Norton</a> Member of Parliament <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Temba_Mliswa" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Temba Mliswa,</a> (Independent) has called for a ban on the carrying of machetes to end brutal killings perpetrated by machete gangs, also known as <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/MaShurugwi" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MaShurugwi</a>.
Addressing fellow parliamentarians on Thursday, Mliswa asked why the government is quick to issue Statutory Instruments on monetary issues while it drags its feet on banning machetes. He said:
<blockquote>His Excellency has been very clear that people are being killed and there is no action being taken.
Government is quick to issue Statutory Instruments (SIs) on monetary issues but when life is being lost, nothing is done. Why do we not ban that?</blockquote>
According to the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), at least 105 people died in a space of two months due to machete violence in areas where artisanal mining is rampant.
Mliswa bemoaned attacks on innocent people in his constituency by the marauding machete gangs.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/mliswa-urges-ban-in-the-carrying-of-machetes/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NewZimbabwe.com</a></h4>

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