Suspects in murder of CCC activist threaten to kill deceased’s sister

Suspects in the murder of Mboneni Ncube, a Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) supporter, are reportedly harassing and threatening to kill witnesses including the deceased’s sister.

Ncube was stabbed to death using a spear by suspected Zanu-PF supporters at a CCC rally in Kwekwe. Dozens were injured at an incident allegedly orchestrated by sacked former State Security Minister Owen “Mudha” Ncube.

It is alleged that the suspects last Thursday kidnapped Mboneni’s sister, Judith Ncube and threatened to kill her.

She said she now fears for her life amid reports that other witnesses to the killing of Ncube have also been intimidated to step away from the matter.

“It was around 4pm when the incident happened. They grabbed and bundled me into their vehicle. They took me to a Zanu PF base in Kwekwe where they threatened to make me disappear if I kept on pressing for answers into the killing of my brother. His killers are known and all I want is closure and justice,” Ncube said yesterday.

The incident was reported to the police and the case number is CRO/04/22.

Judith’s lawyer Darlington Marange of the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum told The Standard that some members of ruling Zanu-PF party were suspects.

“She identified some of the culprits that were implicated in the murder, including some known ruling party bigwigs. She has been saying that police are refusing to take the names of the perpetrators,” Marange said.

“We are now considering visiting the police to iron this out because it falls under their duties to take the report as is and to investigate. It appears there is some resistance but this is something that we have to iron out.

“We are also considering getting a peace order against the people who have been harassing her. She now lives in fear and we have to now take that route of a peace order to ensure her safety. The issue of her safety is now of paramount importance outside other legal routes that we want to take.”

Mbizo MP elect Settlement Chikwinya also confirmed that witnesses willing to stand against Ncube’s killers were being harassed constantly.

“Friends of the suspects for the Mbizo 4 CCC rally murder are harassing witnesses in a bid to get them to chicken out from making statements to police. Ncube’s sister was abducted on Thursday and spent hours locked up at Zanu PF party office in Kwekwe where she was interrogated,” Chikwinya said.

“Many witnesses are now withdrawing from the case as they are threatened. We suspect that Zanu PF is planning to intimidate all witnesses so that the State’s case becomes weak.”

Police arrested 16 Zanu PF youths for Ncube’s murder but later released 11 of them.