Please be warned that some of the graphic details narrated below may not be suitable for persons of nervous disposition
By Delicious Mathuthu
In a shocking case of cannibalism in Harare, Zimbabwe, a 20 year old street man has been arrested by local police in connection with eight murder cases where he would crush his victims’ heads, mutilate their bodies, cook and eat their body parts.
Like a script extract from a classic Hollywood blockbuster horror movie, the man, identified as Thandolwenkosi ‘Sauro’ Ndlovu of no fixed aboard, would crush the heads of his victims with boulders or bricks while they slept, before using broken bottles to cut open their stomachs, or remove their genitals and other body parts to either boil or braai them for food, mostly targeting street kids.
The murders were recorded in Harare in a space of 8 days, from the 28th of August to the 4th of September when the suspect was arrest, while others in Bulawayo traced back as far as year 2020.
The ‘human eating’, Ndlovu, was arrested after trying to attack a street kid in the Harare Central Business District, which led to him being implicated in five murder cases in Harare and three in Bulawayo.
He was also on the Police wanted list for attempted murder and robbery cases.
In a statement, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) National Spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, confirmed the cannibalism case.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms the arrest of Thandolwenkosi Ndlovu (20), alias Sauro, in connection with five cases of murder which occurred in Harare Central Business District between 28 August 2023 and 4 September 2023.
“The suspect who is believed to be living in the streets would target ‘street kids’ who will be fast asleep and crush them and open the victims’ stomach to remove genitals and other body parts using empty broken bottles.
“The suspect would then boil or braai the human parts on any open fire place and consume them while in the Harare Central Business District,” Asst. Com. Nyathi said.
He said Police detectives tracked the suspect along Rotten Row Road, in Harare after attempting to attack a street kid and was tracked and apprehended.
“On being arrested, the suspect was positively linked to five murder cases which occurred on 28th August 2023 at the corner of George Silundika Avenue and Simon Muzenda Street, Harare.
“1st (of) September 2023 at the corner of Inez Terrace Road and Robert Mugabe Road, Harare. 3rd (of) September 2023 at the corner of Nelson Mandela Avenue and 7th Street, Harare and on 4th September 2023 at the corner of Cripps Road and Remembrance Road, Harare,” Asst. Com. Nyathi said.
The suspect is also linked to similar gruesome murders in Bulawayo’s Bellevue, Makokoba and Nkulumane suburbs in 2020.
“The suspect has been linked to three murder cases committed in Bulawayo in 2020 where he crushed a victim’s head in Bellevue Suburb using a brick after he found him drunk and asleep in his yard, in January 2020.
“In December 2020, he crushed a victim’s head in Makokoba Suburb after finding him asleep by the road side.
“He again crushed another victim’s head using stones at Sekhusile Shopping Centre, Nkulumane after finding him sleeping in a pavement. He then fled to Harare,” Asst. Com. Nyathi said.
Ndlovu is also wanted for a Milton Park, Harare, robbery case committed in 2021.
Nyathi said so far there are no connections linking the murders to rituals and police are still investigating the cases to also ascertain if the suspect committed the crimes alone.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police has not found any evidence to link the recent murder cases committed by the suspect to ritual killings.
“The police assures the public that inquiries are still being conducted to find out the real motive behind the suspect’s conduct and if he acted alone or not. More details will be revealed in due course,” Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said.
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