By Clement Mukwasi
VICTORIA FALLS – A form four pupil who was murdered in cold blood on Wednesday in Victoria Falls might have been raped before her death as five used condoms were picked up by police at the murder scene yesterday.
Praise Mpofu, 16, of Mkhosana suburb in the resort town and her boyfriend, Brain Dube, who is battling for life in hospital, were enjoying a sunset sex romp on the banks of the Zambezi River when they were attacked by men who accused them of being in a prohibited area.
Brain, an Upper Sixth pupil, was badly beaten, stripped and dumped in the woods with his hands tied behind his back. The attack on his girlfriend proved fatal.
The two lovers attended Mosi-oa-Tunya High School and yesterday scores of shocked pupils from the school flocked to the murder scene as they grappled with what befell their mates.
No one has been arrested yet in connection with the crime, but investigations are continuing.
Victoria Falls Police District Officer Commanding Crime Superintendent Dominic Sibanda yesterday said the condoms that were recovered from the murder scene would be taken for forensic examination as part of investigations.
“Investigating officers have recovered and taken possession of five used condoms from around the scene of the crime. We suspect that they may have been left behind by the murder suspects. We’re taking them for forensic examination as part of the ongoing investigations,” said Superintendent Sibanda
He said the suspects went away with Brain’s white laptop and his girlfriend’s Nokia phone.
They left behind the murder weapon — a bloodstained log.
“The teenage girl was robbed of her simple phone and also missing are her tennis shoes. They also took away a laptop belonging to the boyfriend. We’re still, however, investigating the motive for the murder,” he said.
The picking up of the used condoms has sent shivers down the spines of men who use the same picnic site as a love nest away from the sight of their wives.
Residents who spoke to The Chronicle on condition of anonymity said they were afraid that some innocent people might end up being caught up in the case as the condoms that the police recovered were scattered around a common riverside picnic site.
“This is terrifying; a lot of married men also go to that site with their girlfriends. We hope that the police picked the correct condoms otherwise some innocent people may end up in trouble,” said a resident. The Chronicle
