HARARE – Police are investigating three murders in Hurungwe, Mashonaland West, believed to be the work of a suspect who is now in custody.
Trymore Tore, 37, of Mubairacheni Village under Chief Chundu is accused of burying at least two of the bodies in his rubbish pit. A third was found covered with tree branches.
Police were called to the village on February 17 after a woman reported that Tore had attempted to rape her. The police investigation quickly turned into a murder probe after three bodies were found.
Police said Tore, who had a history of abusing his wife Moline Chibayanzara, 21, got into another heated argument with her on the evening of February 15.
Tore’s uncle Kuwesi Masau, 53, visited the couple on the following day and tried to counsel them.
According to police, sometime that afternoon Tore asked his 13-year-old cousin who is a neighbour to go to several homesteads in the village and borrow a shovel, but he was unsuccessful.
When the boy returned, he found Tore filling up his rubbish pit with a hoe but thought nothing of it.
At around 5PM on February 16, another of Tore’s cousins and neighbour Anety Nabwalo, 17, visited him intending to watch movies and was never seen again.
Villagers began searching for the missing trio late that night into the morning of February 17 when a female villager confronted Tore and accused him of having knowledge of their disappearance.
Pleading his innocence, Tore asked the woman to accompany her to see a prophet. On their way, he allegedly attempted to rape her and she escaped before calling police.
A police statement said: “On the same day ZRP Chundu Base attended the scene and searches were conducted in the village.
“Nabwalo’s body was found covered with branches in a bush about 60 meters from her homestead and beside the body was a knife and a pair of black panties.”
The rubbish pit was dug up and the remains of Tore’s wife Chibayanzara and his uncle Masau were uncovered.
Tore faces three counts of murder.
