Harare Man Accused of Beating Robbery Suspect to Death

By Kudzaishe Chimonera

A 23-year-old man from Harare has appeared in court accused of murdering a man he allegedly suspected of robbery in a case that prosecutors say ended in a fatal assault.

Wellington Mupasu appeared before provincial magistrate Ruth Moyo on Saturday facing a murder charge.

He was remanded in custody and told to seek bail at the High Court and the case was postponed to 22 May.

Prosecutors allege that in the early hours of 5 May, at around 03:30 local time, Mupasu and an alleged accomplice, Ian Mutimbanyoka who remains at large confronted the now deceased at Muzinda Business Centre after accusing him of robbery.

According to court papers, the pair allegedly seized the man and marched him to a nearby water point where they stripped him of his blue work suit and tied his hands and legs in a manner that reportedly left him suspended in the air.

The court heard allegations that while the man was restrained, the two assaulted him repeatedly using stones and sticks.

Prosecutors say the pair later realised the man had lost consciousness and took him to Hatcliffe Police Post where they allegedly filed a robbery complaint against him under police reference ZRP Borrowdale CR49/05/26.

The man was later transferred to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals for medical treatment before being discharged back into police custody.

However, the court heard that two days later on 7 May, he died while in custody.