For Gweru, a town whose traffic is perpetually slowed by numerous roundabouts and where life is generally on a crawl, the spectre of police officers brandishing assault rifles, mounting horses and vicious dogs swarming a central business district (CBD) station is a rarity.
On a normal day, the police station, tucked in the CBD,
passes for an ordinary one- storey building frequented by men and women clad in
uniform.
But on Thursday, as the rumour of the arrest, after three
years on the run, of Peter Dube, after killing two people and injuring another
two, the heavy police presence sent chills down the spines of many who wanted
to have a glimpse of him.
Known by many Gweru residents as a maverick car dealer and
businessman, Dube was escorted to court in leg irons and handcuffs, showing all
and sundry his eventual taming or annihilation by the law.
The atmosphere was even tense at the court as Dube was
escorted under heavy police guard.
Ordinary residents, relatives of the deceased who were
allegedly shot and killed by Dube, his own relatives, journalists, all jostled
for a glimpse of the most wanted suspected killer.
And at exactly 2pm, Peter was in the dock waiting for a
prosecutor to lay charges on him.
Gweru provincial magistrate, Ms Beauty Dube took no time to
hear Peter’s case before a packed gallery where she charged him with two counts
of murder and two counts of attempted murder.
He was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody to
April 17.
The accused was advised to apply for bail at the High
Court.
More details about Dube’s escape emerged yesterday.
He is said to be of Mozambican extraction, but his parents
moved to Zimbabwe, leaving behind the bigger family there.
After committing the crime in April 2021, Peter reportedly
drove to Beitbridge where he left the vehicle and crossed on foot.
He spent three days in South Africa before proceeding to
Eswatini and later Mozambique where he is originally from.
So, after the shooting, it is believed that he escaped to
Mozambique via Mvuma, Chinhu, Murambinda, Nyazura and Rusape.
In Mozambique, the original family took care of him and
arranged documents for him under the name Armando Quenete Muchanga.
Using the new name, he allegedly went into South Africa
where he met some close family members and even gave them cash for his first
wife and children’s upkeep.
“When Peter committed the crime in April 2021, he went to
Mutare and crossed into Mozambique on foot where he stayed with his relatives.
He is originally from that country, but is now Zimbabwean,” said a source.
It emerged that thereafter, he became uncomfortable with
the number of Zimbabweans in South Africa, some of whom he felt would easily
identify him and moved to the mountain Kingdom of Eswatini.
From there he moved to Ireland, where he breached the law
before being deported to Mozambique. It is understood that in Ireland where he
used three identities, including the Zimbabwean one, when it fitted him.
Mrs Agnes Chiduku, whose son was allegedly shot and killed
by Dube, could be seen sobbing outside the court as for the first time in her
life, she met the suspect responsible for her only son, Shelton Chiduku’s
death.
“I am still heartbroken. When I saw this man (Peter),it
felt like the tragic incident occurred yesterday when it actually happened some
years back.
I thank God the long arm of the law has finally caught up
with this man. I am still in pain,” she sobbed.
On the other hand, Advance, younger brother to Dube, could
be seen discussing with some relatives.
Advance, who spoke on behalf of the family when the tragic
incident occurred in 2021, yesterday declined to comment.
The State case is that on April 22, 2021 at around 11am,
Chiduku, Mudungwe, Nyasha and Nyaradzo allegedly went to Masvingo to collect
the latter’s passport.
Peter Dube, the court heard, who had married Nyasha as a
second wife got wind that the four had gone to Masvingo without his knowledge
and this did not go down well with him since he was suspecting infidelity
between his wife and Chiduku.
At around 8pm, the same day, Dube allegedly armed himself
with a Zastara pistol and proceeded to number 11, Bensam Flats, Main Street,
Gweru where Nyasha resided.
Since Dube suspected Nyasha of having an affair with
Chiduku, an altercation ensued which prompted him to go downstairs and shoot
Chiduku who was seated on the driver’s seat of a Toyota Hiace once on the front
left shoulder. He died instantly.
The court heard that Mudungwe who was downstairs with
Chiduku tried to run up the stairs before Dube shot her once on the left cheek
near the nose. She collapsed and died instantly.
Dube went upstairs
to number 11 Bensam Flats where Nyasha and Nyaradzo were.
The court heard that Dube allegedly shot Nyasha once on the
right cheek and the bullet pierced the left side of her neck, removed her right
molar tooth and landed on the upper side of her shoulder.
After shooting Nyasha, Peter allegedly turned on Nyaradzo
before shooting her once above the left ear and the bullet protruded through
and ruptured her right eye.
Nyasha and Nyaradzo are lucky to be alive as they were
ferried to Gweru Provincial Hospital where surgeons successfully operated on
them.
After the incident, Dube allegedly fled to Mozambique,
South Africa, before relocating to Eswatini, where he changed his identity.
Dube then travelled to Ireland, where he was arrested in
Dublin last year for violating the country’s immigration laws.
Peter was allegedly using a fake identity and when he was
arrested in Dublin, he refused to be deported to Zimbabwe, claiming that he was
a Mozambican citizen named Armando Quenete Muchanga.
He was then deported to Mozambique and authorities there
established that he was, indeed, a Zimbabwean.
They deported him to the country. Herald
0 comments:
Post a Comment