PEOPLE in Mangwe District in Matabeleland South province are now living in fear following the gruesome murder of an elderly couple at their home last week. Mr Nicholas Nleya (83) and his wife Margaret (78) were murdered in cold blood by suspected robbers who after killing them, burnt their bodies to ashes. The couple was buried in one grave at Empandeni Mission Cemetery on Monday.
Speaking at the burial, Headman Zibuyeni appealed to the police to get to the bottom of the murder saying as villagers they were now living in fear.
Zimbabwe’s communal areas have over the years been very peaceful and safe places but the scenario has now changed. Criminals are now targeting villages as well hence the increasing robbery and murder cases being recorded in communal areas.
Villagers need to be assured of their safety as has been the case in the past when they could freely visit each other and interact even at night. We, therefore, want to appeal to the police to step up investigations and bring to book the murderers of the Mangwe elderly couple in order to restore the villagers’ confidence in the security forces.
What is, however, comforting is that police have of late been scoring major successes in apprehending dangerous criminals that include armed robbers. The success has been attributed to co-operation from members of the public that have been providing vital information.
Read: An elderly couple robbed and burnt beyond recognition
Recently police accounted for eight notorious robbers that have been terrorising people around the country. The robbers were fished out of their hiding place in Beitbridge town after members of the public provided the information.
At the weekend police accounted for two criminals that shot and killed a soldier in Chivhu and injured another two. Members of the public again provided the vital information that assisted security forces to track down the criminals.
We, therefore, want to appeal to Mangwe people who might have the vital information leading to the arrest of the murderers of the elderly couple to come forward.
We have said it before that, criminals live among communities and the communities can only rid themselves of these criminals by reporting them to the police.
Read: Children of elderly couple burnt beyond recognition fly in from SA,…
Relatives of the late couple should not hesitate to report suspects to the police as such information might provide vital leads to the investigations.
The Mangwe murder mystery has to be resolved to enable villagers to once again sleep soundly without fearing night intruders.
We want to once again appeal to villagers, including relatives, to work closely with the police so that these murderers are brought to book. Herald
