WhatsApp nails ‘killer’ brothers

By Whinsley Masara

Two brothers from Plumtree allegedly beat their uncle to death and burnt his body to conceal evidence, accusing him of burning their plastic water containers.

Unity Ndlovu (27) and Elliot Ncube (31), both of Ntali Village, Mambale area under Chief Bango, allegedly stashed 43-year-old Germany Nleya’s remains and ashes in two shallow graves on top of two hills.

Investigators found only the skull and bones from one leg.

The gruesome killing came to light when an unknown person posted the details on a WhatsApp chat Group in Botswana three months after Nleya had gone missing.

The duo – who are village head Velaphi Ndlovu’s children – allegedly kidnapped Nleya of Empandeni from Mr Donald Ncube’s homestead in broad daylight on August 20.

They tied his hands behind his back and began assaulting him while other villagers watched.

They force-marched the bleeding Nleya to a hill where they allegedly punched and kicked him until he died.

The Chronicle caught up with two of Nleya’s brothers who said they suspect that their brother was killed for ritual purposes which justifies why the body was burnt.

Nicholas Nleya said: “The two men had accused Nleya of burning plastic water containers at Unity’s homestead.

“They later accused him of tampering with bricks at their brick moulding site. They told villagers he dismantled a bicycle and stolen another one at their homesteads.

“For these accusations, Unity and Elliot hunted down my brother claiming that they had been assigned by their father to discipline him.”

A source in the village said no one made a police report when Nleya did not return from the hill.

He said Ncube and Ndlovu tracked Nleya down, killed him and kept the matter secret.

“News of Germany’s death came all the way from Botswana in a WhatsApp message. The messages read that Germany had been murdered, burnt and his remains hidden in the hills,” said Nicholas.

“My brother, Richard immediately came home from Botswana and together we set off to investigate. Our first port of call was Headman Matenga, the community leader of Mambale area where he was last seen three months ago.”

He said villagers were shocked because Ncube and Ndlovu had told them Nleya escaped from them on the hill.

Nicholas said police picked up Ncube and Ndlovu for questioning on Monday and they confessed to killing Nleya before leading police to the graves.

When The Chronicle visited the area yesterday and found Headman Matenga who had reported Nleya as missing on Saturday — addressing the community on the discovery of the grisly murder.

The headman said: “On Saturday I made a report to the police. While I waited for the police, the late Nleya’s brothers came to me with a story that they had seen on WhatsApp saying their brother was dead.

“Ncube and Ndlovu were arrested on Monday. They told police they killed Germany, piled firewood on the body and set it alight. They buried his ashes and other remains at two separate places on two hills”.

The remains were taken to the United Bulawayo Hospitals for postmortem.

Nleya’s brothers thanked Headman Matenga for reporting their relative missing after the entire village had been quiet about the matter for a long time.

“If we had five more community leaders like him, there would be no crime in communities,” said Nicholas. The Chronicle