HARARE – The son of Masvingo High Court judge, Justice Garainesu Mawadze was on Thursday hauled before Harare magistrate Vongai Guuriro Muchuchuti facing murder charges after he allegedly stabbed and killed a cellphone dealer.

Munyaradzi Junior Mawadze, a first year Law student at the University of Zimbabwe, is jointly charged with his two friends

Elvin Dongo Saungweme, 22, and Dellon David Balani, 22.

They were remanded in custody to April 14.

The police said they all implicated each other when they were arrested and led them to the decomposing body of Sipho Ncube who was missing since March 12.

They were all found in possession of blood soiled clothes.

They had shared three cellphone s belonging to Ncube.

According to court papers, the trio connived to rob Ncube of his mobile phones and cash.

He deceased was known to Mawadze.

On March 12, 2020, around midday the three they approached the now deceased in their Honda Accord vehicle registration AEE 9472.

They lured him into the car on pretext they wanted to buy three cell phones.

Ncube who was allegedly known to Mawadze got into the vehicle before they agreed that each phone would cost US$1 800.

He three indicated the money was in Waterfalls.

Ncube agreed to go with the three to Waterfalls and the accused diverted the route and drove along Chiremba Road passing Epworth going towards Ruwa.

Whilst along Chiremba Road they reached a secluded place where they robbed Ncube of his cellphones and an unknown amount of money.

It is alleged that they went on to stab him with a knife before slit open his throat killing him instantly just a few meters from Chiremba Road before they drove away before they were noticed.

The accused went on to share their loot.

Ncube’s relatives became suspicious when he failed to return home and filed a police report on the same date.

Investigations started and the accused denied having knowledge of Ncube’s whereabouts.

The court heard that in order to cover up for their offence Mawadze sent a text using Ncube’s cellphone alleging that he had been kidnapped.

It is state’s case that Mawadze also cleaned the blood-stained vehicle before he fled to his father’s place in Masvingo.

Another police report was made at Harare Central police station before the police launched investigations which led to the recovery of the vehicle used during the commission of the crime.

Further searches were conducted at Mawadze place in Harare in the presence of his roommate Dylan Nira leading to the recovery to a pair of black jean trousers, white vest and a pair of white sneakers all soiled with blood.

On March 24, 2020, Mawadze was arrested in Masvingo and was brought to CID Homicide , in Harare where he was interviewed.

The state said he went on to implicate his accomplices.

The following day further follow ups were done by CID Homicide Harare leading to the arrest of the second accused at his place of residence.

Searches were carried out in his room leading to the recovery of blood soiled clothes and Ncube’s cellphone.

Saungweme also implicated Mawadze and Balani as his accomplices.

Saungweme and Mawadze allegedly then freely led the police to crime scene near Timire New Stands in Ruwa where they had dumped Ncube’s body.

They made indications which were video recorded by the detectives at the scene where the body was found in an advanced state decomposition.

ZRP Ruwa attended the scene and ferried the body to Parirenyatwa hospital for post-mortem.

Balani was arrested separately later on Wednesday.

Lancelot Mutsokoti appeared for the state.

The three are being represented by their lawyer Paidamoyo Saurombe.