Student murdered over identification of robber

Source: Student murdered because of robber identification – The Southern Eye

A 23-year-old Bulawayo Polytechnic student failed to return home on Monday evening after being stabbed by a robber she identified during the robbery.

Inobubele Mhlanga was brutally stabbed by Thamsanqa Ndebele (26) and Euton Sebatha (36) after they got off a shuttle bus near the TM exit bus stop in Cowdray Park.

Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident.

He said Mhlanga identified the robber because they lived in the same area.

“On November 4, at around 8.30pm, the now deceased was found by passers-by lying in a pool of blood near the TM exit bus stop in Cowdray Park, Bulawayo, with a penetrating wound above the right chest and several lacerations on both hands,” Ncube said .

“She was taken to Mpilo Central Hospital by a well-wisher and passed on while she was attended to by a doctor.”

At around 11.30am the next day, police arrested all known suspects in the robbery and Playmore Mpofu (27) from Cowdray Park, who was being held at the station as a suspect in a robbery case, admitted that he often committed robberies in the area . Cowdray Park area with Ndebele and Sebatha.

With the help of community members, a follow-up operation was carried out, leading to the arrest of Ndebele and Sebatha in the Cowdray Park area.

Ncube said Ndebele was interrogated and he admitted to assaulting the now deceased and taking away her handbag containing $30 with the help of his friend Sebatha.

“He further stated that Sebatha stabbed the now deceased because she identified him as they lived in the same area and knew each other,” he said.

Mhlanga was buried yesterday at Luveve Cemetery in Bulawayo.

Police called on the public to give priority to neighborhood watch committee patrols.

“The public is urged to revive Neighborhood Watch Committees, not only for the purpose of patrolling, but also as a way of promoting unity, peace and love among each other,” Ncube said.

“An innocent life was lost due to sheer greed of people who knew the deceased and were a neighbor. The arrest of the two may help family members find closure.”