In a gruesome and harrowing series of events, a suspected serial murderer in Harare has been remanded in custody pending further investigation and indictment to the High Court. Thandolwenkosi Ndlovu, a 20-year-old individual, stands accused of brutally killing five homeless people in the city, allegedly engaging in gruesome acts such as cooking and consuming their flesh. The court proceedings, presided over by Magistrate Dennis Mangosi, have set the next hearing for September 21.
According to the State’s case, the first incident occurred on August 28, around midnight, when Ndlovu discovered Emmanuel Godfrey sleeping on the pavement near Chinengudu Building. Using a concrete block, Ndlovu crushed Godfrey’s head, resulting in his immediate death. Shockingly, the accused then proceeded to slit open the deceased’s stomach and remove some organs.
Just three days later, on August 31, at approximately midnight, Ndlovu employed the same modus operandi, taking the life of another sleeping individual at the corner of Inez Terrace and Robert Mugabe Road. The accused’s violent spree continued on September 2, around 11 a.m., when Sabelo Masheo, aged 33, was awakened by Ndlovu’s attempt to kill him while he was sleeping behind Rainbow Towers. Masheo managed to escape, albeit with a deep cut on his head, and promptly reported the incident to the police.
Continuing his reign of terror, Ndlovu struck again on September 3, at around 1 a.m., when he approached yet another sleeping person at the corner of Nelson Mandela Avenue and Seventh Street, instantly taking their life with a large stone. The following day, in a bushy area near Mupedzanhamo, at the intersection of Cripps Road and Remembrance Drive in Mbare, the accused claimed the life of a vagabond who was asleep.
The investigation took a significant turn when detectives from CID Homicide Harare received crucial information linking Ndlovu to the series of killings. Acting swiftly, the detectives apprehended the suspect near Simon Mazorodze flyover in Harare. During the arrest, they discovered blood-stained clothing worn by Ndlovu at the time of the crimes, providing potential forensic evidence for the case.
