
The events leading up to the horrific murder last week of popular Mutare hairdresser, Ms Yvonne Mitchell Mafuta, have opened a Pandora’s box with different schools of thought emerging.
Ms Mafuta, 34, was recently found dead in a pool of blood in her apartment, with indications that she was bleeding from her nose.
Acting Manicaland Provincial Police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, said Ms Mafuta was killed between Sunday, January 21 and Tuesday, January 23 at her apartment at Jade Court in Mutare.
“The suspected killer is an unidentified adult male. The events leading up to her death are that on January 20, Ms Mafuta, now deceased, commissioned a taxi driver, Mr Love Muturu, to take her male friend to her apartment. She told him that he was a visitor from the United States of America.
“Mr Muturu picked up the visitor from the city center and drove to Ms Mafuta’s apartment. At midday the next day, Ms Mafuta called Mr Muturu and told him she would call him later to pick the visitor up and take him to the bus station, but she never called him.
“On January 24, Ms Mafuta’s co-worker, Ms Pixie Olemo Tauro, went to Ms Mafuta’s apartment to check on her because she had not shown up for work. She found the doors and windows locked. “I tried to call her, but her mobile phone was not answered,” Assistant Inspector Chinyoka said. on him”.
He said Ms Tauro called Ms Mafuta’s sister, Ms Catherine Mafuta, who rushed to the apartment.
“The two noticed that the door was locked from the inside, so they broke the window glass using a stone. They took the keys and opened the door. They went upstairs to Mrs Mafuta’s bedroom and found her dead lying in a pool of blood.
“Catherine filed a report with Mutare Central Police Station. The police went to the scene and found that the deceased’s feet were on the ground. She was bleeding from her nose. The body was in the early stages of decomposition.
“The apartment was ransacked, and clothes were scattered on the floor. The body was taken to Victoria Chitepo District Hospital for autopsy.”
The whereabouts of Ms Mafuta’s boyfriend are unknown as he disappeared after the gruesome murder.
According to Assistant Inspector Chinyoka, police interviews with Ms Mafuta’s sister and her friends revealed that the deceased had US$6,000 which she intended to use to buy a car.
It is suspected that the money may have been stolen.
The deceased’s iPhone was also missing.
The taxi driver, Mr Muturu, regrets his involvement in this tragic accident as his name has featured prominently in many discussions on social media.
“I feel very hurt by the things I read on social media. It is unfortunate that people exploit social media to such an extent.
“When Mitchell called me to take her visiting boyfriend to her apartment, she was telling me his whereabouts as if he was now through the toll gate and now on Christmas Pass. I asked Ms Mafuta to avail her boyfriend’s contact details so I could contact him directly.
“She told me that the man was using a mobile phone number in the USA, so she would update me once he arrived. A few minutes later she called me again and asked me to pick him up from the city.
“I drove there because she told me where he was. I’m sure the guy was also provided with my details as well as the make and color of my car.
“While I was looking for a parking space, he appeared and asked me if I was the driver that Mitchell had sent. He got into the car and sat behind him. I drove to Mitchell’s apartment.
“He paid R100 for the ride. Mitchell was waiting at the kitchen door because I told her we’d be there in three minutes. He got out of the car and I left them exchanging hellos.
“It was January 21 around 5pm. At midday the next day, Mitchell called me to buy herself some food from a restaurant in town. She ordered two sadzas with beef and sausage respectively.
“Since I did not have money, she asked me to drive and get money from her apartment. She gave me 500 riyals for food and taxi service.
“I went to the restaurant and got the food. I went to her apartment and delivered the food. Later that evening, around 8pm, she called to ask if I could take her boyfriend to catch the early buses to Harare the next morning. She said he wanted to catch the 6am bus “That was the last I heard from her,” Mr. Mutoro said.
In a statement, Chair of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Women, Community and SME Development, Gertrude Mutandi, wrote: “As women leaders, we are deeply concerned and disturbed by such a tragic event. We call on women to be careful of the people they are in relationships with and to let others know who they are dating.
“While the police investigate the matter, we strongly urge women and youth to be cautious of relationships, especially with strangers from online platforms.
“Although the motive behind the murder remains unknown, we strongly condemn the loss of lives in such a vicious manner. We also call on people with information to cooperate with the police so that the perpetrator is brought to justice.
“We also call on women to exercise due diligence regarding their relationships, and not disclose financial matters to strangers as some will have ulterior motives.”
However, news on the streets of Mutare is that the late Mrs Mafuta has struck a car purchase deal with a local car dealer.
However, in the midst of the deal, she was asked to top up some money as there was a sudden increase in the import prices of the car.
It is said that Ms Mafuta did not have the money to top up her balance.
A source said: “She demanded her money back as she was unable to pay the required amount. The car dealer allegedly refused to refund her money. She allegedly hired the services of some bouncers to recover her money.
“After getting her money back, she allegedly did not pay the guards for their services. We cannot rule out the guards as suspects. Many people may have been harmed by the deal.”
Ms Mafuta has not yet been buried and her body was flown to Harare on Tuesday for an autopsy.
Her family members said they were not yet ready to comment on this case.
It is clear that the killing of Ms. Mafuta comes at a time when murder cases are on the rise in the province and the country as a whole.
Just last week, a man allegedly cut his nephew’s throat open with a kitchen knife, killing him instantly.
In another case, a 75-year-old man died after being violently attacked by a machete gang who stormed his home in Buhera.
Violent crimes occurred in Mutero and Chiweshe villages under Chief Nyasanwo.
During the same week, a man from Rusape district was murdered in cold blood by three assailants who are now fugitives from justice.
The three suspects allegedly stabbed Anthony Shumbaimwe (30) of ZBS in Venjeri who was walking with his girlfriend and stabbed him in the stomach with a sharp object.
The suspects dumped Shumbaimwe’s body in the street.
According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, the number of murders in the country is very high.
At least 1,453 cases were recorded in 2018, before rising to 1,733 the following year.
Between January 2020 and December 2021, 3,583 killings were recorded.
Overall, it averages 1,500 cases per year.
“A murder case is registered every week. In some cases, even one or more cases, with the trend increasing in all provinces,” said National Police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi.
Most murders, according to police, are crimes of passion, linked to alcohol use and rituals.
Statistics from Zimbabwe’s prison and correctional services confirm the same trend. Manica Post