Bulilima – A dark cloud hangs over the village of Malalume in Bulilima, as a police officer stands accused of a heinous crime that has left the community reeling. Constable Blessed Moyo, stationed at the Malalume Police Base, is at the centre of a chilling murder mystery after allegedly killing a suspect in custody, dismembering his body, and burying the remains in a pit latrine.
The grim discovery was made behind the clinic that also houses the police base, where a skull and skeletal remains were unearthed, alongside a pair of handcuffs, a bloodied Okapi knife, and torn clothing. The find has ignited outrage and a desperate call for justice from the villagers.
“We trusted him to protect us but he was the devil in our midst,” lamented a shopkeeper at Tjaguta Business Centre. “He abused power, harassed us for beer, and now this? He must rot in jail.”
The alleged murder unfolded after a villager, Melisa Ndlovu, caught a man stealing food and clothes from her home in early February, according to police sources. The man fled, but was later apprehended by Constable Moyo. Ndlovu, along with three others, identified him as the thief at the police base.
Eyewitnesses recount the horrific scene that followed, alleging that Moyo brutally assaulted the suspect, who claimed to be from Binga and appeared mentally unstable. The constable allegedly used a mopane switch, sjambok, cooking stick, and plastic pick handle to beat the man until he confessed to the theft.
“He begged for water and said he felt dizzy,” a police source revealed. “They returned to the police base where Moyo dismissed the others, saying he would arrange transport to Bulawayo. The man was never seen alive again.”
The horrifying truth began to surface on 22 May, when the skull and bones were discovered buried in a toilet behind the police base. The situation intensified when the remains were confirmed to be those of the man last seen in Constable Moyo’s custody.
Driven by a thirst for answers, villagers summoned prophets and traditional healers to help uncover the truth, leading to the shocking revelations that have now implicated Constable Moyo in the murder.
Moyo was promptly arrested and denied bail when he appeared at Plumtree Magistrate’s Court on 23 May before magistrate Mark Dzira. The case is ongoing, with prosecutor Arnold Mudekunye representing the State.
Further investigations have revealed a network of alleged accomplices. On the night the suspect disappeared, Moyo reportedly contacted Lungelo Moyo and Bayanda Ncube. It is alleged that one of them borrowed an Okapi knife shortly after arriving at the base. Additionally, Siyabonga Dube is believed to be the owner of the handcuffs found on the corpse.
Headman Senganyondo has declined to comment on the matter, stating that it is now before the courts. However, the villagers are united in their demand for answers and accountability.
“We are not fools. That man was killed in cold blood and they tried to bury the truth. But the ancestors refused to be silenced,” declared one elderly villager, reflecting the community’s determination to see justice served.
Adding to the community’s outrage are claims that Constable Moyo has a history of violence, and that previous complaints against him have been ignored.
“He beat someone until their hand stopped working,” claimed another villager. “But nothing was done. Now a man is dead.”
As the case progresses, the villagers of Malalume remain resolute in their pursuit of justice. They have vowed not to rest until those responsible for the heinous crime are held accountable for their actions.
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