Devil Incarnet

HE crushed the head of one of his victims by repeatedly striking it with a stone and, according to the police, killed the other woman with a single strike, using an axe, to the head.

The body of the other victim was burnt until it was reduced to ashes.

And, along the way, he would rape, suffocate and kill his victims.

On Saturday, the law finally caught up with the monster.

The serial rapist and murderer, who is believed to have killed, at least, SEVEN women in cold blood, has been arrested.

There are even fears more rape and murder cases, allegedly committed by the accused, could emerge.

Police suspect these heinous crimes could also have been committed in Mutare, Rusape and Nyanga.

Bright Zhantali (30, who was nabbed on Sunday, is accused of allegedly murdering four sex workers and three other women, after having raped them.

Zhantali was once arrested in July last year, on murder charges, after he allegedly killed a fish monger whose corpse was found floating in Lake Chivero.

Sources say his arrest, in Marondera, will help solve a lot of murder and rape cases in the Mashonaland East provincial capital.

National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, confirmed Zhantali’s arrest.

“Police arrested Bright Zhantali in Goromonzi for nine counts of murder and rape cases which occurred during the period January 14 to March 12 2022, in Hwedza, Goromonzi, Marondera and Macheke,” Ass Comm Nyathi said.

CASE NUMBER ONE

“On 15 January 2022 at around 1400 hours, the accused person met the now deceased, Mercy Simairi at Dejagger Bus Stop. (She) was on her way to Roughlands Farm to look for mushrooms and (he) offered to accompany her. On arrival at Roughlands Farm, the accused person tripped down the now deceased, raped her once, without protection.

Using his hands, the accused choked the now deceased, the accused person then used a stone to hit the now deceased several times on the head until she died. Thereafter, he buried the body in a shallow pit, a few metres away, and covered it with grass and shrubs.

The accused person went away with the deceased’s Tecno cellphone, with an Econet line 0786042230, and a Samsung handset with NetOne line 0716978951, all valued at US$150-00 and yet to be recovered.”

CASE NUMBER TWO

“On 18 January, 2022, at around 2300 hours, the accused person hooked up with the now deceased Chipo Gwese at Tempest Bar, Hwedza Growth Point, and agreed to go home together and have sexual intercourse. On arrival, at now deceased’s place at Ndudzo Village, Chief Svosve, Hwedza, the accused person and the now deceased had sexual intercourse. The accused spent the whole day in the now deceased’s room. He never came out of the room.

On 20 January, 2022, at around 0200 hours, the accused person strangled the now deceased, who was fast asleep, (and) on realising she was dead, the accused went on to tie her hands from behind using shoe laces, and covered the body with some clothes.  The accused went away with the deceased’s property, which includes a maroon T-Shirt, an Itel handset with an Econet line 0771432826, a 3kg blue gas tank and USD$111 all valued at USD$150-00 and is yet to be recovered.”

CASE NUMBER THREE

“On 22 January 2022, at around 2200 hours, the accused person hooked up with the now deceased, Betty Mlambo, who was on the road just by the gate at Number 9, Chitumbwana, Dombotombo, Marondera, and agreed to have sexual intercourse. The now deceased went into her room with the accused person were they had sexual intercourse.

On 23 January 2022, at around 0200 hours, after another round of sexual intercourse, the accused person strangled the now deceased, who was fast asleep. On realising that she was dead, the accused went on to tie her hands, from behind, using shoe laces and covered the body with some blankets before setting it ablaze.

The body of the now deceased was burnt beyond recognition. The accused went away with the now deceased’s property, which includes an Itel handset with an Econet line 0773857278 and USD$120, all valued at USD$130, and is yet to be recovered.”

CASE NUMBER FOUR

“On 7 February, 2022, at around 1500 hours, the accused person was seated at Grasslands Farm, a few metres from the Harare-Mutare Highway when he spotted the now deceased Nelia Maringe, some 100 metres inside Grasslands Farm reading her bible. He then approached the now deceased and proposed love to her.

The now deceased turn down the proposal which led the accused person raping her once without protection. The now deceased had an axe as she had also gone to cut some firewood.

The accused person used the axe to strike the now deceased once on the head leading to her death. The accused left a note on the deceased’s body, secured by the now deceased’s bible, before going away with a Huawei Cellphone with Econet line 0773003835 valued at $150 and yet to be recovered.”

                CASE NUMBER FIVE

“On 11 March, 2022, at around 1400 hours, the accused person was seated in a field at Hunyani Estates close to the golf course, Marondera when he saw the now deceased, Meggie Kaomba, cutting firewood. He approached the now deceased, grabbed her from behind and raped her once without protection. Using the now deceased’s axe, the accused person struck the now deceased twice on the head. On realising she was dead, the accused person took the now deceased’s axe and went away.”

                    CASE NUMBER SIX

“On 12 March 2022, at around 2200 hours, the accused person hooked up with the now deceased, Patricia Tsoka, who was at Dombotombo Shops, Marondera and agreed to have sexual intercourse. The accused person lied to the now deceased that he resided in Cherima, Marondera near Rakodzi High School, and wanted them to go together to his place of residence.

On their way, at swampy area between Cherima and Yellow City, Marondera, the accused person grabbed the now deceased from behind and raped her once without protection. He went on to strangle her, on realizing that she was dead, the accused took the body and threw it into the swamp and went away without taking anything.”

                    CASE NUMBER SEVEN

“On an unknown date but sometime in early February 2022, and at around 2100 hours, the accused person hooked up with the now deceased, who was Chikaidos Bar, Nyameni Shops, Marondera and they agreed to have sexual intercourse. The now deceased told the accused that she was not comfortable going with him to her place in Nyameni, where she resided with her younger sister, who was at home at that time.

As a result, the accused lied to the now deceased that he resided in Paradise Park, Marondera, and asked her to accompany him. While on their way, along a foot path behind Cherutombo High School, the accused person grabbed the now deceased from behind and raped her once, without protection. He went on to strangle her, on realising that she was dead, the accused took the body and threw it into a river, some 20 metres away, and went away with the now deceased’s unknown cellphone and a plastic bag with dagga.