Cellphone sells out dealer murder suspect

By Thupeyo Muleya

Police have arrested a suspect linked to the recent robbery and murder of a 65-year-old flea market dealer in Beitbridge. The woman was fatally stabbed on Wednesday last week, while about to leave her house for Musina, South Africa, at around 3.30 AM.

Police sources said yesterday that the suspect was arrested on Saturday after they tracked the victim’s mobile phone to another person.

The person reportedly led detectives to the suspect.

Matabeleland South police spokesperson, Inspector Philisani Ndebele said he was yet to get full details on the matter.

“I am yet to get full details concerning that matter,” he said.

However, a source close to investigations said they were still following up on the second suspect.“Soon after committing the murder, the suspects sold the woman’s cellphone to another resident, whom we tracked.

“He then led detectives to the suspect and his accomplice who is still at large. Investigations are in progress,” said the source.

It is reported the now deceased woke up at around 3.30AM, intending to travel to South Africa for shopping, using her Toyota Aphard vehicle.

She drove out of the yard, left the engine running and went back to close the gate.

The source said the suspects pounced on the woman and stabbed her in the chest using an okapi knife.

“She collapsed and died instantly. Her body was discovered by two other tenants, who were woken up by the noise of barking dogs in the yard.

“They reported the matter to the police, who recovered an empty handbag near the victim’s body,” said the source.

The woman’s body was later taken to Beitbridge district hospital mortuary for a postmortem.

Of late there has been an increase in armed robberies in Beitbridge, with the criminals targeting mainly money changers, taxi drivers and residents in the town’s western suburbs. The Chronicle