Zim Now Writer
A Seventh Day Adventist Church pastor based in Francistown, Botswana has been linked to the alleged murder of a suspected Zimbabwean commercial sex worker who was found dead in her house in Maun on Christmas eve.
According to reports, the married pastor, Marvin Pelonomi Radihephi, 38, is suspected to have killed 48-year-old Warricious Bhunu after he allegedly solicited sex services from her.
Radihephi has since appeared before Maun Magistrate Court where he was not asked to plead and was remanded out of custody on condition that he reports every two weeks at Francistown Police Station.
Police are reportedly waiting for DNA and post-mortem results, which will guide the Directorate of Public Prosecutions on how to proceed with the case.
DNA tests from a used condom are also expected to be used to either link or exonerate Radihephi.
Circumstances of the case are that Bhunu was hired by Radihephi for services for two days and the pastor is alleged to have solicited sex services, two days before Christmas Day while visiting his home village of Maun.
Bhunu was found dead in her house located along a street commonly known as Harare at Sanyedi ward the next morning.
The pastor reportedly travelled from Francistown where he resides with his wife, met a woman friend in Maun and they spent most of the day together. Later on, he is said to have dropped the woman off, but she allowed him to use her car, a VW.
The pastor is believed to have then gone to spend a night with a sex worker at her rented room as the same car was spotted parked outside the house.
The next morning, Radihephi reportedly emerged from the room and sat in the car on Christmas Eve, which was on a Sabbath.
One of Bhunu’s friends came to see her and asked Radihephi, whose vehicle was parked right in front of Bhunu's doorstep, if the woman was in.
The woman went in but soon emerged screaming for help after finding Bhunu dead.
She was allegedly lying naked on the floor and beside her were some used condoms.
It is further said that Radihephi, who was said to have been sitting in the parked car, sped off, but witnesses had noted down the car registration numbers.
The matter was then reported to the police and the car owner tracked down and the owner of the car told the police that she had lent the vehicle to pastor Radihephi, who was later arrested while in possession of the same car.
Bhunu's body has since been repatriated back home and was buried last month.
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