Fugitive murder suspect nabbed after 14 years
By Jeffrey Muvundusi
BULAWAYO – A suspected murderer who fatally stabbed a man he had a misunderstanding with during a beer drink, has been arrested after 14 years on the run.
Gift Mutenga, 39, of Njube suburb was picked up by the police upon his return from South Africa where he had for years successfully sought sanctuary.
Mutenga was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody to December 7 when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Victor Mpofu facing murder charges. The State denied Mutenga bail considering the gravity of his alleged crime.
The court heard that sometime in December 1999, the late Nkosilathi Ndlovu was drinking beer at Zothile Night Club in Bulawayo’s Entumbane suburb. According to the State papers, Ndlovu’s wife then used to work at the same night spot.
It is alleged that at around midnight of the same night Mutenga and Ndhlovu picked up a nasty argument over a matter that was not stated in court. Later on after the argument, the now deceased Ndhlovu decided to go home alone.
Apparently still angry over their altercation Mutenga followed Ndlovu whom he quickly caught up with and he then stabbed Ndlovu twice on the chest using an okapi knife before fleeing from the scene, the court was told.
When Mutenga learnt of the news that his victim has passed away due to the assault, he immediately crossed the border into South Africa where he has been living for the past 14 years.
During police investigations, a knife which was used in committing the crime was found in Mutenga’s house. A few days before Christmas day, Mutenga was nabbed by police acting on a tip-off. Daily News
