Man murdered, buried for allegedly stealing maize

Zim Now Writer

A man from Chipinge, Nicholas Muyambo, was alledly killed by two men who accused him of stealing maize-meal on March 10, 2024 at Farm 34 in Middle Sabi.

The two men, Daniel Sithole and Cleanous Utete confessed to fatally assaulting Muyambo before stashing his body in an empty sack, and buried it in a shallow grave to conceal evidence.

Sithole and Utete revealed how they stashed Muyambo’s body in a sack, hurriedly dug a grave that was 40cmx50cm deep, and buried the corpse in it.

Manicaland acting provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, confirmed the murder, saying the suspects were assisting police with investigations.

“On March 10, 2024, Muyambo went to Farm 34 to seek employment. He met the two accused persons, who accused him of stealing maize-meal. He vehemently denied the allegations, but the two accused persons force-marched him to a maize field where they assaulted him with a wooden stick all over the body.

“After that day, Muyambo went missing. His elder brother, Shingirirai Muyambo later made a missing person police report at Middle Sabi on March 17.

On the same day, Utete called Listen Chikoo, 24, who is an irrigator at Farm 34 and confided in him their heinous act.

“Utete confided in Chikoo that they had killed Muyambo before further revealing that they stashed his body in a sack and buried the corpse in a shallow grave nearby,” he said.

Assistant Inspector Chinyoka revealed that as Utete was confessing to committing the heinous act, Chikoo recorded the whole conversation using his cellphone.

Chikoo went to inform Passmore Muumbe of Farm 28 what he had heard.

Muumbe accompanied Chikoo to the area where Utete said they had buried the late Muyambo’s body. They searched the area and stumbled upon the shallow grave.

After discovering the shallow grave, the two made a report to the police.

Police attended the scene and exhumed the body from the shallow grave, leading to the arrest of the suspects.

The body was in a sack and already in an advanced state of decomposition.

The body was taken to Chipinge District Hospital mortuary for post-mortem.

“We continue to appeal to members of the public to solve disputes amicably rather than resorting to violence which often leads to loss of life.

“We will not hesitate to bring to book culprits who decide to take the law into their own hands,” Assistant Inspector Chinyoka added.