Zanu PF activist ‘kills’ again on release from prison
GARIKAI MAFIRAKUREVA
MASVINGO – Zanu PF activist who is also Chief Charumbira’s aide, Winterton Chirove (64) is back at the courts barely a year after being released from prison for stabbing and killing an MDC polling agent at Bondolfi Business Centre in Masvingo Rural.
Chirove who was released from prison on July 21, 2021 after serving 18 years for killing
Petros Jeka committed another murder just 15 months after his parole, according to a State case which is now before the courts.
Chirove who was Zanu PF youth chairperson at the time that he killed Jeka was jointly convicted for the murder with Blessing Sonono.
Chirove is among Chief Charumbira’s 11 aides who are currently remanded in prison for allegedly killing village head, Taurai Lovemore Takawira on September 30, 2021. Takawira was killed over boundary wrangles between Chief Charumbira and the recently revived Bere Chieftainship.
The murder of Jeka who was a polling agent at Bondolfi in 2002 captured international headlines as Mugabe fought for political survival against political gladiator, Morgan Tsvangirai. Violence was unleashed against the opposition resulting in tens of deaths throughout the country but Jeka’s murder case was more dramatic in that for four years his body stayed at the mortuary at Masvingo Provincial Hospital as the deceased’s family refused to bury him until $2 million and 40 cattle were paid as compensation.
Government tried to give the deceased a pauper’s burial but the family went to the High Court to defend its action. At some stage in 2006 the family resolved internally that they should bury their loved one.
Tension has been high in the Bondolfi area since the release of Chirove as many felt that the murderer remained unremorseful and unrepentant.
In the latest murder case Chirove allegedly teamed up with 10 other suspects from Mus
handike Resettlement Area in Masvingo and killed Takawira.
It is the State case that the 11 attacked Takawira, and two other village heads, Mike Wengedzai Matambanadzo and Luckson Sinamai under Chief Bere who were clearing a piece of land allocated to Sinamai by Chief Bere at village 17A Mushandike Resettlement Area, Masvingo.
Sinamai and Matambanadzo managed to escape leaving Takawira who was not feeling well behind. Takawira was never seen again until November 3, 2022 when his decomposing body was discovered by Gilbert Gomorera who was looking for his cattle. The matter was reported to Police leading to the arrest of the suspects
The 11 suspects are Chirove, Shelton Samuel (50), Nogo Zicheche (61), Moleon Mbengo (46), Eriya Kwangwari (72), Elfas Mudhenge (72), Brighton Madzivire (29), Vunganai Makono (63), Ratiel Muvingi (82), Aquilla Muzenda (57) and Paul Clever Munankopa (71) have since appeared at Masvingo Magistrate Court and were remanded in custody.
