MUTARE – A well-known Mutare businessman, Tapiwa Brian Mhlanga, aged 41, has died after sustaining a head injury in a violent attack last week. Mhlanga succumbed to his injuries at Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital on Monday, sparking a police investigation into the assault.
Manicaland Acting Police Spokesperson Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the tragic incident.
Mhlanga, who resided in Mundembe, Sakubva, and operated his business outside Choppies in the Mutare CBD, was attacked on Monday evening around 8:30 pm near the Sports field in OTS Sakubva.
According to police reports, Mhlanga was struck in the head by an unknown assailant using an unidentified weapon, causing him to lose consciousness.
After regaining consciousness, Mhlanga managed to return home and inform his sister, Rumbidzai Mukwiza, 27, about the attack.
The following morning, Mhlanga and Rumbidzai reported the assault at Sakubva Police Station. Due to his deteriorating condition and inability to speak, Mhlanga was immediately referred to Victoria Chitepo Hospital for medical treatment.
He was admitted to the hospital until last Wednesday. However, Mhlanga’s condition worsened, leading to his readmission on Monday, where he tragically passed away the same day.
The incident has occurred just a fortnight after another violent crime in Mutare, where a taxi driver was fatally shot by armed robbers.
Rodgers Murimbechi, 45, was shot multiple times in the stomach on Monday afternoon after reportedly refusing to comply with the robbers’ demands to exit his vehicle.
The incident took place at the Drenan Turn Off near Mutare Board and Paper Mills around 4:30 pm. The robbers then fled the scene in Murimbechi’s Honda Fit vehicle, registration number AFF 7695.
Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka also confirmed this earlier incident.
According to police reports, the armed robbers approached Murimbechi and his friend, Ronald Simbarashe Mazura, 20, offering them US$20 for a taxi ride to Muchena Business Centre. The duo accepted the offer.
Upon reaching Nyahunga Bridge, one of the robbers brandished a pistol and pointed it at Murimbechi, who was driving.
Murimbechi was ordered to pull over and lie on his stomach, which he did. The robbers then searched both him and Mazura.
The victims were ordered back into the vehicle and instructed to drive towards Mutare Board and Paper Mills.
Reaching the Drenan turn-off, one of the robbers ordered Murimbechi and Mazura to disembark and lie on the ground. Mazura complied, but Murimbechi remained seated. One of the robbers then shot Murimbechi several times in the stomach.
The suspects fled the scene, leaving Murimbechi bleeding profusely. Mazura ran to Mutare Board and Paper Mills for help but found Murimbechi dead upon his return.
Murimbechi’s body was taken to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital for a postmortem examination.
The armed robbers involved in Murimbechi’s murder are yet to be identified, and the stolen vehicle remains unrecovered.
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