Cowdray Park ‘killer’ in court

By Michelle Gwizi

A man from Bulawayo who was arrested for the alleged rape and brutal murder of a woman from Cowdray Park suburb has appeared in court .

Peter Nyathi (29) appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Adelaide Mbeure facing a murder charge last Friday.

He was remanded in custody to November 15.

The magistrate advised him to apply for bail at the High Court.

“You can do your bail application to the High Court and give the prison officers to submit the application for you. When the application request is granted we shall notify you and if not we shall also state the reasons for the opposition,” said the magistrate.

Allegations are that on October 22 this year at around 1PM the now deceased Lily Gumede and Laiza Gumede left Cowdray Park suburb to fetch fire wood at Siphaziphazi Hills in the north western side of Cowdray Park.

At around 6pm on their way back, they were attacked by Nyathi and they ran away from him in different directions. Nyathi managed to catch up with the now deceased.

He struck her on the head with a log and she fell unconscious.

Nyathi dragged the now deceased to a maize field where he raped her once and fled from the crime scene.

The now deceased was rescued by Cowdray Park residents and was taken to Mpilo Central Hospital for treatment.

The court heard she was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where she later succumbed to her injuries on October 24.

Mr Mufaro Mageza represented the state. The Chronicle