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Crime Reporter
Serial killer and rapist Bright Zhantali, who appeared in court on Monday on nine charges of murdering women he first raped in and around Marondera, was on bail for a murder committed last year in Harare and police are now investigating how he managed to win the bail.

That victim, his first, takes his tally to 10, with more likely to be uncovered as he accompanies police to where he says he killed others.

Zhantali (30) was on Monday remanded in police custody to tomorrow when he appeared before Ms Patience Chirimo at Marondera Magistrates’ Court as investigations into other rape and murder cases continue.

The court heard that Zhantali had admitted to police that he raped and murdered more women in Rusape, Mutare and Nyanga and so the police needed him in their custody so they could take him to the claimed murder scenes.

Five of the women he allegedly murdered were commercial sex workers, but most were also raped before being killed.

Seven of the women were strangled and the other two were killed with axes.

Prosecutor Mr Reward Sitotombe told the court that Zhantali also stole cellphones and any cash his victims had with them after he killed them.

He was arrested by a CID team.

Investigations revealed that in July last year, Zhantali was once arrested in Harare and taken to court on murder charges after he allegedly raped and murdered a woman whose corpse was found floating in Lake Chivero.

This was the same sort of double crime he was allegedly committing in Marondera and Manicaland.

He then appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi and was referred to the High Court for his bail application.

He was arrested by a team of detectives from CID Homicide who are now also investigating how he managed to secure bail in that case.

It is alleged that on June 21 last year at around 3pm, Zhantali met Nester Chikwengo (45) who intended to buy fish for resale.

Zhantali lied that he had fish for sale and the two walked along a footpath near the lake.

He allegedly grabbed the woman and took her US$30 and her cellphone before raping her.

The woman died as Zhantali tried to gag her. When he realised that Chikwengo had died, he took her clothes and bucket and burnt them at an anthill and went away.

On July 4 last year, the decomposing body was discovered. Zhantali was later arrested.

Zhantali is accused of killing and raping other women around Marondera.

The known victims are Mercy Simairi (28), Chipo Gwese (40), Betty Mlambo (43), Nelia Maringe (44), Meggie Kaomba (61), Patricia Tsoka (49) and Fadzisai Muchadenyika, but the murdered bodies of two unknown women have also been discovered.

Zhantali allegedly confessed to the killings after he was questioned by police.