The murderer,
Thulani Mhlanga (40) — who was the victim’s boyfriend — was held accountable,
and will spend the rest of his life behind bars for the gruesome crime.
This life
sentence, handed down by Justice Isaac Muzenda on Tuesday at the Mutare High
Court, marked the end of a harrowing chapter for Mitchell’s grieving family,
friends, and a community that followed the case with keen interest, heartbreak
and outrage since the tragedy happened in January last year.
Mhlanga
confessed in court to fatally assaulting Mitchell in a fit of jealousy, and
smashed her head against the wall three times on suspicion of infidelity.
Among those
most affected by the aftermath of the crime was Mr Lovebond Mutora — the taxi
driver who had ferried Mhlanga to the late Mitchell’s residence prior to the
brutal murder.
In the weeks
that followed, Mr Mutora faced suspicion and public scrutiny, particularly on
the social media, despite his innocence.
This is quite
relieving. The investigation process was not easy. I lost myself. People on the
social media accused me of being involved. My work suffered. My family life was
affected. I was confused and depressed,” said Mr Mutora.
He recalled how
the late Mitchell had informed him about her boyfriend’s arrival from Harare.
Acting on her
instructions, Mr Mutora picked up Mhlanga at Stanbic Bank after getting his
number from the deceased.
He transported
him to her residence, unaware of the tragic events that would soon follow.
The next day,
Mr Mutora was asked to buy food for the lovebirds, but when the now late
Mitchell failed to contact him afterwards, he assumed all was well until the
deceased’s friend later called to inform him she had been found dead.
“I played a key
role in assisting the police by providing crucial details, including advising
them to review the CCTV footage from Stanbic Bank. The footage confirmed that I
had picked Mhlanga up, and also captured him switching SIM cards, which helped
identify him clearly. I was called multiple times by different officers
throughout the investigation process. It was an incredibly stressful time,
people accused me of being involved. Some even threatened me with violence.
“My work
suffered, and my family life was turned upside down. I could not function
normally. I was one of the main witnesses in court. I was waiting for the
judgement for a long time, and now that it has come, I feel a deep sense of
relief. My family is also relieved. At one point, a lot of people believed that
I had something to do with the murder. Colleagues and others judged me, and the
social media was flooded with speculation and false accusations,” added Mr
Mutora.
“The convict
told the judge that he killed her on suspicion that she had many boyfriends. He
showed no remorse. But I am grateful to the police for handling the
investigations professionally. They treated me fairly. Even though the process
took time, with some people losing hope, justice has finally been served. It is
a huge relief.” Manica Post
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