Revenge killings on the rise in Zhombe

The recent brutal murder of a Zhombe farmer allegedly by illegal settlers at his farm after he had allegedly shot one of them dead while attempting to evict them has opened a can of worms over a series of revenge murders that have characterised the area with the community now living in perpetual fear.

The farmer Mr George Jongwe was allegedly axed to death on Friday last week after he allegedly shot dead one of the illegal settlers at his Chemagora farm as he tried to enforce a High Court order he had obtained on Tuesday last week.Fourteen illegal settlers were eventually arrested in connection with Mr Jongwe’s death and have since appeared before a Kwekwe magistrate facing murder charges.

Mr Jongwe’s murder in revenge killings comes on the backdrop where the community is trying to cope with a series of similar killings pitting two clan gangs battling to control illegal mining syndicates around Zhombe and Kwekwe area.

Sources say the number of those killed by machete-wielding gangs in revenge killings have since risen to six with the community now living in fear.

Lawlessness is reportedly rampant amongst mining communities with a High Court judge recently lamenting the rise in crimes of passion amongst Amakorokoza that have witnessed an increase in murder cases around the Midlands province.