Two more suspects have been arrested in connection with the gruesome murder of prominent businessman Joseph Mutangadura, deepening what police describe as one of Zimbabwe’s most chilling and complex homicide investigations in recent memory. The new arrests bring the total number of people apprehended in the case to four, as authorities continue to dismantle what appears to be a dangerous, well-coordinated criminal network.
The two suspects, identified as Tariro Mutsamanye (34) and Dexter Tinashe Mugaro (31), appeared this week before Harare regional magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa. Both men, who are already facing multiple armed robbery charges in separate cases, have now been implicated in the violent killing of Mutangadura, who was shot dead during a home invasion on August 17. The court heard that they form part of a ruthless gang that has been terrorising residents across the country.
Prosecutors revealed that because of the gravity of the offence — classified under Zimbabwe’s Third Schedule of serious crimes — the accused were denied bail and advised to apply through the High Court. They were subsequently remanded in custody pending further investigations.
Details emerging from the court and police reports paint a harrowing picture of the night Mutangadura lost his life. According to investigators, the attack occurred just after 11:15 p.m. at the businessman’s residence. The family’s security guard, Bonus Kadiwa, became aware of the disturbance when the dogs began barking uncontrollably. When he went to investigate, he was ambushed by the intruders.
“He was grabbed from behind and threatened with a pistol,” a police source close to the investigation revealed. “The men were heavily armed and clearly knew what they were doing.”
The assailants, believed to number at least seven, were reportedly armed with pistols, claw bars, and hammers. All wore balaclavas to conceal their identities. After subduing the guard, the gang forced him to escort them around the property, using him as leverage as they broke into the house. The intruders then smashed open the main door before storming inside.
Once in the house, the robbers methodically searched the rooms, stealing valuables as they moved deeper into the home. Their violent mission reached its tragic climax when they forced entry into the master bedroom, where Mutangadura and his family were believed to have been. It was there that the gang encountered the businessman. In the chaos that followed, a single gunshot was fired — striking Mutangadura in the chest and killing him instantly.
Mutangadura Murder Case: Two Additional Suspects Taken into Custody
The attackers fled the scene, leaving behind a devastated family and a community in shock. Police launched an intensive manhunt soon after, with detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Homicide Division leading the operation.
In a statement released this week, police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed that investigators had made a significant breakthrough in the forensic aspect of the case. “Police have recovered the pistol that was used to kill Joseph Mutangadura,” he said. “Ballistics analysis has since established that the same firearm was also used to kill a police officer in Sanyati last weekend.”
This discovery has intensified the sense of urgency around the investigation, linking the murder of the respected businessman to a broader web of violent crimes targeting both civilians and law enforcement officers. Authorities believe the same syndicate could be responsible for a spate of armed robberies across multiple provinces.
Detectives are now working to trace the origins of the recovered firearm and to identify other members of the gang who remain at large. Police sources suggest that the network operates with a high level of coordination, using stolen vehicles and multiple hideouts to evade capture.
Mutangadura, who was well-known in the business community for his investments in real estate and logistics, has been remembered by family and colleagues as a “visionary entrepreneur” and “pillar of generosity.” His murder has left a void that many say will be hard to fill.
As the case unfolds, the arrests of Mutsamanye and Mugaro represent a crucial step forward for law enforcement. However, the gravity of the crimes, coupled with the new revelations about the weapon’s connection to another killing, underscores the growing challenge of violent organised crime in Zimbabwe.
Police have urged the public to remain vigilant and to report any information that may lead to the capture of the remaining suspects. “We will not rest until everyone involved in this heinous crime is brought to justice,” said Nyathi.
For the Mutangadura family, justice remains the only hope after a tragedy that has sent shockwaves through both the business sector and the wider public — a reminder of the escalating dangers posed by violent criminal gangs operating in the country.
Source- iHarare
