Police have finally cracked the code in the case of the
husband and wife, who went missing on Valentine’s Day in 2020.
Lei Ding and his wife Chi Lifen, who were aged 35 and 30,
disappeared on Valentine’s Day after visiting a friend in Highlands, Harare.
A reward of $1 million was offered by the couple’s family
and friends.
However, it didn’t assist the investigation at the time.
But, there has been a big breakthrough made by the police.
Chen Long, who is a Chinese national residing in Avondale,
Harare, has been arrested and charged with allegedly murdering the couple.
He is also facing kidnapping charges.
Long was implicated by Xu Lin Lin and Luo Yengshen, who
were arrested by Chinese police in China.
The duo confessed that they kidnapped the couple, with
Long’s assistance, and dumped them in a dam in Zimbabwe.
The two are set to be brought to Zimbabwe to face trial.
They will be charged with murder upon making indications to
the police.
The two were linked to the offence after the police managed
to recover the couple’s cellphones, which were taken to China, where data was
retrieved.
The State is alleging that on February 14, 2020, Lei Ding,
who was in the business of Quarry and river sand mining called his friend Xu
Lin Lin, telling him that he was proceeding to see him.
It is believed that Ding went to Lin’s place with his wife
driving a white Mercedes Benz ML.
However, the couple was never seen again.
The couple’s car was recovered the next day, dumped along
Acturus Road, with the keys on the ignition, by police officers from ZRP
Mabvuku.
A report was made at the CID Vehicle Theft squad.
The car was searched and the police recovered the couple’s
car keys and a firearms certificate.
The police went to their home and no one was there.
Investigations were conducted by a joint team of Zimbabwean
and Chinese police which led to the recovery of an iPhone, which was being used
by the couple.
The Chinese police took the cellphone to China and restored
all the data and pursued investigations.
They arrested Xu Lin Lin and Luo Yengshen, who indicated
that they fatally assaulted the couple, and dumped their bodies into an unknown
dam.
They implicated Long, whom they had left in Zimbabwe, to
have been involved in the offence.
Long appeared before Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi who
remanded him in custody pending finalisation of investigations. H Metro
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