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Bulawayo Bureau

POLICE have arrested a Lupane man in Botswana where he fled after allegedly murdering his parents with a kitchen knife. 

Clever Ngwenya (35) allegedly fatally stabbed mother Mildress Ngwenya (71) and father Simon Shoemaker Ngwenya (73) two weeks ago at Gwalubha village under Chief Mabhikwa and forced the suspect’s siblings to seek refuge at a police station for three nights for fear of being attacked. It is still unclear why Ngwenya killed his parents but he had told one of his brothers that he had an issue to discuss with the parents.

He used the kitchen knife to stab his mother before turning the heat on his father. The suspect’s parents were buried last Wednesday. 

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday said Ngwenya was arrested on September 25 in Botswana after skipping the border. 

Zimbabwean police officers working with their Botswana counterparts arrested him and he was extradited back to the country on Thursday. Asst Comm Nyathi credited Ngwenya’s arrest to their cooperation under the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Coordination (SARPCCO) and Interpol. 

“Remember we are members of Interpol as well as the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Coordination. The Botswana Police Service and the Zimbabwe Republic Police work in close cooperation on a number of issues including border management and that collaboration contributed to the suspect’s arrest,” he said. 

Asst Comm Nyathi expressed concern over an increase in violent crimes, especially within families. 

“This is not the first time we have recorded such an incident. We had a case of a man from Mangwe who also killed his parents. As police, we want to call for calm and that family members should find peaceful ways of resolving conflicts,” he said. In Mangwe, Lisani Marcellus Nleya (46) made headlines when he allegedly killed his father Nicholas Kini Nleya (83) and mother Margret Nleya (78) who were both retired teachers and prominent villagers in grisly circumstances on September, 1 2020. 

Acting Chief Mabhikwa commended the police for arresting Ngwenya, saying the community was living in fear after the incident. 

“Many people in Gwalubha village were now living in fear that he could attack them again. Even after his arrest, they are in disbelief that he has been arrested,” he said. 

“I don’t know what the police need to do, maybe they should parade him for the community to believe that indeed he has been arrested.”

He said the community is still shocked over the cold-blooded murder. 

Acting Chief Mabhikwa urged the family to investigate the root cause of what could have prompted Clever to kill his parents. 

“I presided over the funeral and I also raised concerns over the general increase in violent crimes within the community. A week before that incident, there was someone who was killed and a week later we also recorded another murder,” he said.