A 33-year-old Harare man appeared in court this week facing murder charges after allegedly fatally assaulting a fellow resident at a construction site, concealing the body and stealing 37 bags of cement and the deceased’s cellphone.
Tendai Chipupuri appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court charged with murder. He was remanded in custody and will return to court on September 8, 2026.
According to the State, Chipupuri and the deceased were staying at the premises, which was still under construction. They occupied separate rooms, with the deceased working as a gardener while Chipupuri was employed on the construction works.
Prosecutors allege that on May 1, 2026, at around 9pm, Chipupuri assaulted the man, resulting in his death.
The court heard that after the alleged attack, Chipupuri covered the body with a bed cover and a black plastic sheet.
The State further alleges that he then went to a storeroom and stole 37 bags of cement. He also allegedly took the deceased’s Samsung Galaxy A07 cellphone before leaving the body at the scene.
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The matter came to light on May 4, 2026, when Patron Mapunga reported for duty at the site.
The court was told that Mapunga discovered the body lying on the ground, covered with a bed cover and black plastic sheet, and immediately reported the matter to police.
Investigations continued until July 4, 2026, when police received information that Chipupuri had been arrested in Bindura in connection with an unrelated assault case, for which he was convicted.
Police subsequently applied for his transfer from Bindura to Harare to answer to the murder charge. He was later moved to Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison.
On August 12, detectives took Chipupuri from prison and he allegedly led them to the location where he had sold the stolen cement.
He also assisted police in recovering the deceased’s Samsung A07, which was reportedly found in the possession of Micah Furuweza, who had bought the phone.
The State told the court that the total value of the property allegedly stolen was US$570, while property worth US$90 has so far been recovered.
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