SA investigators tracks down vehicle which had been trailing Chin’ono’s friend who has been abducted

South African investigators say they have traced the Mercedes Benz which Shingai Munashe Marere, prominent journalist Hopewell Chin’ono’s constructor, says was trailing him since last week to a Mr R Tadziva of 254 Suru Avenue, Ferndale, Randburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Marere, linked to journalist Chin’ono through construction works, was abducted and brutally assauIted by suspected state security agents yesterday afternoon.

This was after he refused to disclose the journalist’s new address in South Africa.

Security sources and family members said state agents seized Shingai Munashe Marere (29) around 4pm before subjecting him to vicious assault and leaving him for dead by the roadside along Old Mazowe Road, about 18km northwest of the capital.

Following the attack, Marere managed to pick himself up, got into the car and tried to drive off, but lost control of the car subsequently after a short distance as he was immobilised through savage assault and toxic drugging.

Zimbabwe has a long history of abductions, torture and forced disappearances, as well as cruel and degrading treatment usually by state security agents – from colonial to current times.

Newshawks