The ManicaPost
Liberty Dube
THE family of a Mutare man, Josphat Munyoro (22) who was murdered in cold blood by hooligans masquerading as touts has called on law enforcement agents to bring all the suspects to book.
The family, which is still struggling to come to terms with the brutal murder of Josphat, said he (Josphat) was not a tout as what had been reported earlier. They claimed that he was a passenger who was caught in the cross-fire of the hooligans brawl.
Josphat died before being taken to Mutare Provincial Hospital after bleeding profusely from serious injuries he sustained during the attack. The incident happened at Hobhouse Rank in Sakubva at around 7pm. He was heavily assaulted by more than 10 hooligans who were armed with metal bars and golf clubs.
Some of the hooligans who have since been arrested and are assisting police with investigations also badly injured another passenger who is in critical condition at Mutare Provincial Hospital.
Josphat was laid to rest in Nyaungwa Village in Nyazura last week. He left behind a one-year-old daughter, Primrose and wife, Tatenda Chirau.
“Josphat was a mechanic and not a rank marshal. He was a peace-loving man. A friend of his came to pick him up on Sunday since we do not work on Sundays. We never suspected anything, only to receive a call at around 7pm that Josphat had been heavily assaulted and was battling for life near Sakubva Swimming Pool.
“We do not understand why the hooligans teamed up to beat my innocent son who had nothing to do with the rank marshal wars. They mistakenly beat him. He was already dead when we tried to rush him to hospital,” said Josphat’s father, Joab.
He added: “We hope police will leave no stone unturned in their investigations. Those who killed my son should face the full wrath of the law.”
In a separate interview, the Urban Transport Association of Zimbabwe, has distanced itself from the murder, saying Josphat’s murderers were not rank marshals, but hooligans out to tarnish their image.
They claimed that the hooligans had scores to settle with Josphat.
“Rank marshals are peace loving and disciplined. We are organised. All what we do is maintain order at ranks.
“We are not violent and these people who murdered Josphat are not rank marshals, but hooligans who are out to tarnish the image of our association. The murderers are not part of us. We hope police will do their job to bring the perpetrators to book,” said UTAZ vice-chairperson, Duncan Nyazika who was accompanied by the association’s secretary, Lazarus Muponda.
