A 52-YEAR-OLD member of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) who was remanded in custody by Concession resident magistrate Ruth Moyo on an armed robbery case last week has died.
Shelton Marerwa who was remanded in custody to 28 June while on his hospital bed at Concession District Hospital died after being transferred from Concession hospital to Bindura hospital under Zimbabwe Prison Services and Correctional Services (ZPSCS) watch on Tuesday.
Contacted for comment the (ZPSC) public relations department first requested the questions on email and later said they were not in a position to confirm the case.
Murerwa was part of the eight soldiers that reportedly stormed at Ocelea mine in Concession last week with a military van and tried to disarm security guards there saying they had been sent from the President’s office.
Seven of the soldiers who are still at large, armed with loaded pistols allegedly demanded storeroom keys from security guards saying the mine firearms had no licences were then overpowered by the guards after they unleashed vicious dogs on them.
The now deceased Marerwa failed to jump in their escaping van due to injuries sustained in the tussle and was surrendered to the police.
A source from Concession district hospital said they suspected foul play on the death of Murerwa as they transferred him after some military guys tried to take him away from the hospital.
“We suspect foul play on the death of the soldier, because from the injuries he sustained he was not supposed to die, some military guys came and tried to forcefully take him and we denied them access after that trial they came other guys who first came with food after visiting hours claiming to be his relatives and when we asked him he said they were his workmates hence we had to transfer him to the provincial hospital, said the official.
It is further alleged that Murerwa told the police that he was on a mission from a higher office which he was yet to disclose.
-Agencies
