Two men from Chipinge stand accused of confessing to a brutal murder after allegedly accusing their neighbor, Nicholas Muyambo, of stealing maize-meal. Daniel Sithole and Cleanous Utete purportedly admitted to fatally assaulting Muyambo before concealing his body in a sack and burying it in a shallow grave to hide evidence.
The grim details of the crime unfolded seven days later, when Sithole and Utete allegedly disclosed the sequence of events leading to Muyambo’s demise. According to reports, the victim met his tragic fate while seeking employment at Farm 34 in Middle Sabi, Chipinge District, on March 10, 2024. Accused of theft, Muyambo faced relentless physical assault with a wooden stick by the two suspects, leading to his disappearance thereafter.
Confirmation of the chilling murder came from Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka. He stated that the suspects were aiding police inquiries into the incident. Muyambo’s elder brother reported him missing on March 17, triggering investigations into his whereabouts.
Coincidentally, one of the suspects, Utete, allegedly divulged the gruesome details of the crime to Listen Chikoo, a farm irrigator, on the same day. Utete purportedly confessed to killing Muyambo and burying his body in a shallow grave nearby. Chikoo, quick-witted, recorded the confession on his cellphone and promptly informed Passmore Muumbe of Farm 28.
Accompanied by Muumbe, Chikoo ventured to the location indicated by Utete and uncovered the shallow grave. Following the discovery, they alerted the authorities, prompting a police investigation. The exhumation of Muyambo’s decomposed remains from the shallow grave led to the arrest of the accused.The body was transferred to Chipinge District Hospital mortuary for post-mortem examination. Assistant Inspector Chinyoka urged the public to seek peaceful resolutions to conflicts, cautioning against resorting to violence that could result in loss of life.
