Four members of a neighbourhood watch committee in Harare, Zimbabwe, have been charged with murder after they allegedly assaulted a mentally-challenged man whom they mistook for a thief. The victim, Itai Mwandicheya, had traveled from Chinhoyi to visit his uncle in Cranborne.
Unable to enter his uncle’s residence, he sought shelter at a nearby vending stall. The accused, who were on patrol in the area, interrogated him and accused him of being a thief. They beat him with baton sticks, causing serious injuries.
When they realized that Mwandicheya was the nephew of a resident in the area, they took him to his uncle’s place. He later left for Kwekwe to visit his aunt but died from his injuries on May 5.
The accused were granted bail and are due to appear in court again on August 23.
