‘Jindu killed to harvest body parts on SA inyanga’s instruction’

By Whinsley Masara

A South African inyanga has been linked to the brutal murder of a Bulawayo man who was shot and killed by a suspected serial killer in the city.

The inyanga – only identified as Ndimande –  allegedly enticed Rodney Tongai Jindu (26) of Glengarry suburb with promises of instant riches if he delivered the body of a person with a Ncube surname.

Jindu, who is on remand for the murders of his friends Mboneli Joko Ncube (30) and Cyprian Kudzurunga (28), was allegedly introduced to Ndimande by a man he went to college with in South Africa.

Senior police sources told The Chronicle last night that Ndimande and Jindu’s unidentified collegemate came to Bulawayo sometime last month and approached him with a proposal to harvest body parts for ritual purposes.

They said Jindu then set in motion a plan to murder Ncube.

“On 12 January at about 7PM, Jindu met Ncube and his friend at a supermarket at the intersection of Robert Mugabe Way and 11th Avenue.

They drove to Burnside where they dropped off Ncube’s friend who lives in the same suburb before proceeding to number 13 Westmount Road – a vacant residential stand.

“Ncube had been told that they were going to meet Ndimande to discuss a business proposal. Once they got to the site, Jindu asked Ncube to lead the way towards the cottage.

He then cocked his gun but told Ncube not to worry as he was doing it in case there were snakes around.

“He then shot him once and he fell but did not die instantly. The second shot finished him off. Jindu then called Ndimande using a simcard he had been given specifically for the purposes of calling the inyanga. Ndimande came with some unidentified men and Jindu handed them the body,” said a source familiar with the investigations.

On the same night, Jindu allegedly removed Ncube’s simcard and inserted it into his phone before sending a message to the latter’s mother informing her that he was leaving for South Africa.

“He did this to throw her off track – the same modus operandi he later used to sidetrack Kudzurunga’s mother into thinking that her son had left the country,” said the source.

According to the source, Ndimande and his men called Jindu on the morning of January 13 and handed him the remains of Ncube with several body parts missing.

A post-mortem report released yesterday revealed that apart from the hand, head and both legs, the heart was also missing from the dismembered body of Ncube.

Ndimande and his men are believed to have crossed back to South Africa with the body parts but were yet to make good on the promises of $20 000 and a Toyota Quantum they had offered Jindu at the time he was arrested.

“When we interviewed him, he was visibly frustrated that Ndimande was no longer reachable and might never pay him for the job.

“He also told us Ndimande had said he should urinate and conduct some rituals on the four sites where he buried Ncube’s remains so that he could have good luck and attain riches,” said the source.

It has also emerged that Jindu opened up to his friend, Kudzurunga, about the murder of Ncube on January 29 – the day he killed him.

The two had spent the day drinking alcohol at Jindu’s home.

“The matter was eating him inside and he decided to offload to his close friend. It seems Kudzurunga was shocked by the revelation that Jindu had murdered their mutual friend and this unsettled the latter.

“They argued over the matter but Kudzurunga could not stomach the disturbing news. That’s when Jindu decided to kill him,” said the source.

Jindu (25) allegedly shot Kudzurunga before before burying him in a shallow grave next to Ncube’s remains.

A DNA report set to be released this week is expected to confirm the identity of the mutilated remains found in Burnside.

Jindu allegedly told investigators the body is that of Ncube who was last seen with him on January 12 this year.

He allegedly cut the dismembered body into four pieces, burnt them and buried them in four shallow graves.

Police arrested Jindu on February 3 for allegedly killing Kudzurunga .

He was remanded in custody to February 21 for both murder cases and the magistrate advised him to apply to the High Court for bail.

Meanwhile, police in Bulawayo are carrying out a firearm audit on all gun owners following an upsurge in crimes involving firearms.

The audit will be done to update police records.

Bulawayo Metropolitan Province police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango urged residents with firearms to report to the nearest police station with their firearms and certificates.

“In terms of Section 4 (1) of the Firearms Act chapter 10: 09, it is an offence to purchase, acquire or have in possession any firearm or ammunition without a firearms certificate. We therefore call upon all firearm holders to report to their nearest police stations with their firearms and certificates to enable us to update our records,” said Insp Simango.

“We also take this opportunity to call upon all those who are keeping firearms that were left behind by their late relatives or relatives who relocated to other areas or countries to hand them over to the police for proper procedures to be followed,” she said.

Insp Simango said those who brought registered firearms from other areas outside Bulawayo should report to the nearest police stations for change of addresses to be recorded.

“In terms of Section 6(1) (a) of the Firearms Act 10:09, it is an offence to keep a firearm at an address not given on the certificate.

“Police are urging members of the public to comply with the provision of Section 27 (2) of the Firearms Act Chapter 10:09 which compels authorised holders of firearms to take necessary precautions to prevent firearms from falling into possession of unauthorised persons. Most firearms are feared to be in the wrong hands because authorised holders of firearms are lending them to strangers, employees, friends and relatives,” she said.

Insp Simango urged members of the public to report to the nearest police station, any person (s) in their neighbourhoods suspected to be in possession of a firearm (s).

“Identities of whistle blowers will be kept secret,”she said.

Insp Simango listed procedures to be followed for a person to obtain a gun licence.

“A certificate from AREX or District Administrator’s office if the firearm is needed for crop and livestock protection.

“If the firearm is for hunting, a certificate from the department of National parks and owner of the farm is needed.

“Applications for firearms for target shooting should be accompanied by supporting documents from the chairman, secretary or treasurer of the Gun Club.

“If the firearm is for home protection, it should be accompanied by a recommendation letter from the officer commanding police in the province, a current bank statement and a letter from the bank manager.

“A gun cabinet inspection certificate from the local police station should be produced.

“Police clearance from your nearest police station is needed and finally a firearm certificate application form is then completed and sent to central Firearm registry,” said the police spokesperson.

Last Wednesday, armed robbers brandishing pistols and an AK47 rifle raided two service stations in Bulawayo and fired a shot at one of them before getting away with cash.

In the first robbery, three men armed with pistols got away with airtime recharge cards and cash worth $1 260 and two cellphones at Zuva Service Station in Woodlands suburb.

One man slinging an AK47 rifle robbed attendants of about $150 and a cellphone at a Total Service Station at the corner of 10th Avenue and Robert Mugabe Way in the city centre. The Chronicle