ZRP arrests Bright Zhantali for 9 counts of murder and rape

This memorandum puts on record circumstances on the above subject matter.

Deceased: 1. Mercy Simairi Aged 28 years

NR not held

Res: Progress farm, Marondera

Bus: Not employed

2. Chipo Gwese Age 40 years

NR 80-061989A80

Res: Ndudzo village Chief Svosve, Hwedza

Bus: Not employed

3. Betty Mlambo Aged 43 years

NR not held

Res: 9 Chitumbwana, Dombotombo, Marondera

Bus: Not employed

4. Nelia Maringe Aged 44 years

NR not held

Res: Grasslands farm, Marondera

Bus: Not employed

5. Meggie Kaomba Aged 61

NR: not Held

Res: 14 Cherutombo Street Cherutombo, Marondera

Bus: Not employed

6. Patricia Tsoka Aged 49 years

NR: Not Held

Res: Behind Chawatama Hardware industrial site, Marondera

Bus: Not employed

7. Unknown Female adult with estimated age of around 35-40 years

Accused: Bright Zhantali Aged 30 years

NR: 15-175173C15

Res: F13, Dandamira Township, Concession. Alternatively

Ruvhanga Village, chief Negomo, Chiweshe

Bus: Not employed

Circumstances

Count 1

On 15 January 2022 at around 1400 hours, the accused person met the now Deceased 1, Mercy Simairi at Dejagger Bus Stop who was on her way to Roughlands Farm to look for mushroom and offered to accompany her. On arrival at Roughlands Farm, the accused person tripped down the now deceased, raped her once without protection. Using his hands, the accused choked the now deceased on the throat leading to her going unconscious. The accused person then used a stone to hit the now deceased several times on the head until she died.

Thereafter he buried the body in a shallow pit a few metres away and covered it with grass and shrubs. The accused person went away with now deceased’s Tecno cellphone with an Econet line 0786042230 and a Samsung handset with NetOne line 0716978951 all valued at $150-00 and is yet to be recovered.

ZRP Marondera Rural CR 76/01/22, CID Marondera DR 57/01/22 refers.

Count 2

On 18 January 2022 at around 2300 hours the accused person hooked up with the now Deceased 2 Chipo Gwese [a lady of the night] at Tempest Bar, Hwedza Growth Point and agreed to go home together and have sexual intercourse.

On arrival at now deceased’s place at Ndudzo Village, Chief Svosve, Hwedza, the accused person and the now deceased had sexual intercourse. The accused spent the whole day in the now deceased’s room. He never came out of the room.

On 20 January 2022 at around 0200 hours, the accused person strangled the now deceased who was fast asleep using his hands. On realizing that she was dead, the accused went on to tie her hands from behind using shoe laces and covered the body with some clothes. The accused went away with now deceased’s property which includes a maroon T-Shirt, an Itel handset with an Econet line 0771432826, a 3kg blue gas tank and USD$111 all valued at USD$150-00 and all is yet to be recovered.

ZRP Hwedza CR 34/01/22, CID Marondera DR 58/01/22 refers.

Count 3

On 22 January 2022 at around 2200 hours the accused person hooked up with the now Deceased 3 Betty Mlambo [a lady of the night] who was on the road just by the gate at Number 9, Chitumbwana, Dombotombo, Marondera and agreed to have sexual intercourse.

The now deceased went into her room with the accused person were they had sexual intercourse.

On 23 January 2022 at around 0200 hours, after another round of sexual intercourse, the accused person strangled the now deceased who was fast asleep using his hands. On realizing that she was dead, the accused went on to tie her hands from behind using shoe laces and covered the body with some blankets before setting it ablaze. The body of the now deceased was burnt beyond recognition.

The accused went away with now deceased’s property which includes a an Itel handset with an Econet line 0773857278 and USD$120 all valued at USD$130-00 and all is yet to be recovered.

ZRP Dombotombo CR 01/02/22 and CID Marondera DR 23/02/22 refers.

Count 4

On 7 February 2022 and at around 1500 hours, the accused person was seated at Grasslands Farm, a few meters from the Harare-Murare Highway when he spotted the now Deceased 4 Nelia Maringe some 100 meters inside Grasslands farm reading her bible.

He then approached the now deceased and proposed love to her. The now deceased turn down the proposal which led the accused person raping her once without protection.

The now-deceased had an axe as she had also gone to cut some firewood. The accused person used the axe to strike the now deceased once on the head leading to her death. The accused left a note on the deceased’s body secured by the now deceased’s bible before going away with a Huawei Cellphone with Econet line 0773003835 valued at $150 and is yet to be recovered.

ZRP Marondera Rural CR 41/02/22 and CID Marondera DR 34/02/22 refers.

Count 5

On 11 March 2022 and at around 1400 hours the accused person was seated in a field at Hunyani Estates close to Golf Course, Marondera when he saw the now Deceased 5 Meggie Kaomba was cutting firewood. He approached the now deceased, grabbed her from behind and raped her once without protection. Using the now deceased’s axe, the accused person struck the now deceased twice on the head. On realizing she was dead, the accused person took the now deceased’s axe went away.

ZRP Marondera Rural CR79/03/22 and CID Marondera DR 41/03/22 refers.

Count 6

On 12 March 2022 at around 2200 hours, the accused person hooked up with the now Deceased 6 Patricia Tsoka [a lady of the night] who was Dombotombo Shops, Marondera and agreed to have sexual intercourse.

The accused person lied to the now deceased that he resided in Cherima, Marondera near Rakodzi High School and wanted them to go together to his place of residence.

On their way to the alleged residence, and at swampy area between cherima and yellow city, Marondera the accused person grabbed the now deceased from behind and raped her once without protection. He went on to strangle her using his hands. On realizing that she was dead, the accused took the body and through it into the swamp and went away without taking anything.

ZRP Dombotombo CR 48/03/22 and CID Marondera DR 40/03/22 refers.

Count 7

On unknown date but sometime early February 2022, and at around 2100 hours, the accused person hooked up with the now Deceased 7 [a lady of the night] who was Chikaidos Bar, Nyameni Shops, Marondera and agreed to have s.e.xual intercourse.

The now-deceased told the accused that she was not comfortable going with him to her place in Nyameni where she resided with her younger sister who was at home at that time. As a result, the accused lied to the now deceased that he resided in Paradise Park, Marondera, and as such asked her to accompany him to his alleged residence in Paradise park.

While on their way to the alleged residence and along a footpath behind Cherutombo High School, the accused person grabbed the now deceased from behind and raped her once without protection. He went on to strangle her using his hands. On realizing that she was dead, the accused took the body and threw it into a river some 20 metres away and went away with the now deceased’s unknown cellphone and a plastic bag with dagga which is yet to be recovered.

CID Marondera DR 47/03/22.

Investigations Carried Out

All the scenes were attended by CID Marondera.

On 19 March 2022 and around 2100 hours, Using information from service providers and our informer network, the accused person was arrested.

The accused person has so far made indications on all the above-mentioned 6 reported murder cases and the other two unreported with one under count 7 in which efforts are underway to identify the victim whose body was found in an advanced state of decomposition. The other one is in Macheke and efforts are currently underway to locate the body.

The accused person has also indicated that he committed murders in Rusape, Mutare, and Nyanga. The respective stations have since been advised.

Outstanding is to recover stolen property.

Investigations are in progress and your office will be advised on any new developments.

DCIO MASH EAST

NEMO