By Maynard Manyowa
A Harare man suspected of killing socialite and biker Shingi Mukandi (33) in a hit and run this past weekend has been named, while the vehicle involved in the fatal crash has been recovered, including key pieces of evidence, sources with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have confirmed to Khuluma Afrika.
Earlier this afternoon, several members of the police, from different units, stormed the Malbereign home of the man, before placing the residence on lock down.
“As we speak, we have units from Vehicle Theft Sqaud, CID Homicide, and members of ZRP Crime Intelligence Unit at Zambezi Flats, where we were looking for the suspect behind the hit and run”, said a police source, who refused to be named.
Another resident, of Zambezi Flats, independently confirmed the heavy police presence at the compound.
“There are maybe 20 or 30 armed police officers, some in dark suits and dark shades. They have just stormed the door but they found the house empty”, the resident narrated.
According to the police source, they managed to recover the vehicle, a white Isuzu, which one witness had described as fleeing the scene after the crash.
The suspect has been named as Lloyd Fanuel Takudzwa Machipisa, a resident of Zambezi Flats who just recently got married.
According to the police source, they believe that Machipisa (age unknown) hit Shingi Mukandi on his motorbike, then fled the scene. A witness, a popular socialite as well, who cannot be named at this point, is said to have witnessed the accident from behind, but could not capture the details of the car.
Whilst police were not able to locate him at his house, they were confident of nabbing him before end of day, after receiving credible intelligence about his whereabouts.
The dents on the picture supplied by Police, are said to match the wreck patterns on the deceased motorbike, and there are traces of paint on the white truck matching the paint, while the bike has white paint matching the cab.
A piece of the truck, which is said to have fallen off, was found at the accident scene.
Burial arrangements for Mukandi are said to have been delayed, as Zimbabwean law requires victims of hit and run accidents to undergo mandatory post mortems. It is believed the few places that offer such places are either booked entirely, or pathologists are on leave.
More to follow….
