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.
There was a heavy police presence during the arrival of the fugitive murder suspect at Gweru Magistrates Courts
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.
