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Crime Reporter 

A 76-year-old Gwanda woman was found dead in a pool of blood in a kitchen hut on Sunday as police continue to express concern over an increase in murder cases countrywide.

The woman, Beltha Ndlovu is believed to have been killed by unknown assailants who are still at large.

She was found with a deep cut on the head and her body was taken to a local hospital mortuary for a post mortem.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident and appealed to anyone with information that might assist with investigations to contact any nearest police station.

“Police in Gwanda are investigating a case of murder in which, Beltha Ndlovu aged 76 was found dead, lying in a pool of blood and with a deep cut on the head in a kitchen hut at Mtshabezi Village on January 8, 2023,” he said.

Police in Bindura are also investigating a case of murder which occurred on Saturday at Nyamakura Farm.

The victim, Tinashe Chitefa (26) died on Sunday at his homestead after he had allegedly told his mother that he had been attacked by a suspect identified as Austin Mavhuto during a beer drinking spree the previous day.

Murder cases have been on the increase countrywide with the Zimbabwe Republic Police urging the public not to resort to violence in resolving domestic disputes and misunderstandings.

Over the weekend, police were investigating circumstances surrounding a heinous murder case in which Edward Chirombe (43) was suspected to have attacked to death, his wife Joyce Mashenu (40), two daughters aged eight and 14, and a son aged 12, before committing suicide, at a homestead at Ngavaseke Mugomba Village, Nyanga on an unknown date. 

The bodies of the victims were found by the police on January 6, 2023 after they had received information that there were bodies lying in the hut and a flat roofed bedroom, which were all locked from the outside with padlocks. 

Police broke the padlocks to gain entry into the hut and bedroom where the bodies of the victims were found with multiple deep cuts on the head. 

The body of Joyce Mashenu was found lying on the bed covered with blood in the bedroom, while the bodies of the children were found lying on the floor and bed in the hut. 

The body of Edward Chirombe was found hanging from a tree in a garden which is about 800 metres from the homestead. Investigations were then conducted to ascertain the motive behind the callous murder.