TWO Bulawayo brothers who were savagely tortured before
being executed in South Africa recently were yesterday buried on the outskirts
of Bulawayo as police in the neighbouring country announced that one person had
been arrested in connection with their deaths.
Sydney (41) and Edmore Gwatsvaira (37), who had changed
their surname to Ncube, are said to have been running a flourishing transport
company which operated buses and trucks in South Africa.
They were buried yesterday at Umvutshwa Private Cemetery. However,
new details emerged yesterday that before engaging in legitimate businesses
they were hard-core criminals and were arrested locally for armed robbery and
carjacking.
The brothers were reportedly kidnapped by unknown
assailants almost a month ago in Johannesburg before their bodies were dumped
in Mpumalanga. The bodies were found nearly two weeks ago.
The Chronicle news visited their family residence in West
Somerton suburb yesterday afternoon with the intention of speaking to their
relatives as information regarding their death remains sketchy.
Their brother who only identified himself as Mr Washington,
also based in South Africa, declined to comment on circumstances leading to his
siblings death.
“I can’t speak to you at the moment. I guess no one else
would. What you can do is take my WhatsApp number and send me a message later
during the week maybe I will be able to respond to your questions,” said Mr
Washington, who was putting on a T-shirt with an inscription “RIP Game
Changer.” The T-shirt has a photograph of the duo.
Several other people were also wearing similar T-shirts and
most of the mourners were from an apostolic sect.
A neighbour who declined to be named said as residents who
knew the family they are shocked that the pair was considered as businessmen
and not in jail.
“We know that the two brothers are well known criminals in
the country who were involved in serious crimes. We thought that they are supposed
to be in jail but we got shocked to learn that they were in South Africa.
“They were once arrested for armed robbery and carjacking
crimes. Maybe their death is related to their past life or what
they were doing,” said the neighbour.
Sydney was, sometime in October 2003, arrested together
with Gilson Mutembedza, Leroy Pita and Neil Charles for allegedly stealing a
Mitsubishi Pajero in Harare. Mutembedza had around the same time allegedly been
involved in a P672 164 robbery of the Bank of Baroda in Gaborone.
In July 2012, Sydney, said to be 40 at the time, was
arrested at a prayer session in Marondera and fined $100 for entering the
country using a passport bearing a Mozambican national’s name. He was sentenced
to the fine or two months in prison for entering the country illegally and
using a fake travel document.
The passport had the name Fernando Paulo Mula and Sydney’s
photograph. Meanwhile, South African police have arrested Sipho
Mthethwa in connection with the duo’s kidnapping.
Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters said
the suspect will appear in court today.
“A suspect is due to make a second appearance on 25 July
2019 before the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court, following his arrest in
connection with the alleged disappearance of two brothers who were reported
missing at Moffatview Police Station on 28 June 2019,” said Brig Peters.
The suspect was arrested on July 4, 2019 after a family
member recognised a car belonging to one of the missing men being sold on
social media, and contacted the police.
She said police are not at liberty to divulge further
detail as the case investigated by Moffatview SAPS is now before the court.
Brig Peters said police are investigating circumstances
leading to the brothers’ death.
She said cops were not ruling out that the suspect arrested
for their kidnapping could have been involved in their murder as well.
“Meanwhile, police are investigating the circumstances
behind the death of two victims whose bodies were found on a plot in Delmas,
Mpumalanga. Police were informed about the bodies on 11 July 2019 and were able
to confirm with the assistance of family members, that the deceased were indeed
the two victims that had been reported missing at Moffatview in Johannesburg,”
she said.
“Further investigation is underway to determine whether the
suspect arrested for kidnapping could also be behind the murder of the two
victims.”
A source said the two brothers were tortured and shot in
their heads. Edmore was shot three times while Sydney had a single bullet
wound. Chronicle
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