Soldier up for colleague’s murder

By Shamiso Dzingire

A soldier reportedly murdered his workmate during a heated dispute over a child’s paternity, a court heard yesterday. Taguma Chakanyuka who is stationed at Manyame Airbase appeared before Harare magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa charged with the murder of Constantine Tapiwa Mudanda.

Chakanyuka was not asked to plead to murder. He was remanded in custody and advised to apply to the High Court for bail due to the severe nature of his charge.

Prosecutor Sebastian Mutizirwa told the court that on Friday last week at around 10pm, Mudanda started boasting that one of Chakanyuka’s children is not his.

Mudanda reportedly boasted that he fathered Chakanyuka’s daughter.

The court heard that a misunderstanding ensued between the two, but they resolved it while they were in the bar.

Moments later, the court heard, Mudanda confronted the accused again on the same sentiments.

“This did not go down well with the accused person, who confronted the now deceased and assaulted him with open hands and booted feet,” said Mutizirwa.

Mutizirwa said the drunk Mudanda fled from the bar and Chakanyuka pursued and caught up with him where he continued assaulting the deceased with booted feet and open hands.

“The accused left the now deceased unconscious and retired to his quarters. The now deceased sustained some severe injuries on his head and body,” he said.

The prosecutor told the court that Mudanda was found unconscious the following morning before being taken to hospital to seek medical attention.

“He was pronounced dead on arrival,” Mutizirwa told the court.

The court heard that Chakanyuka was caught on Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance cameras committing the offence and the video footage is being held as exhibit. DailyNews