Man in court over suspected murder of broadcaster-cum-actress

A 46-year-old Harare man has appeared in court charged with the murder of veteran journalist and actress Cordelia Maseluthilini, with prosecutors alleging he was the last person seen with her before her death.

Quinton Fungai Tawengwa, of 22 Warwick Road, Greystone Park, was brought before Harare magistrate Ruth Moyo and remanded in custody to January 22. He is facing a charge of murder “as defined in Section 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.”

Moyo advised the accused to seek bail at the High Court. The matter is being prosecuted by Lawrence Gangararwe.

Presenting the State case, the prosecutor alleged that Tawengwa and the now deceased were lovers and spent January 4 together drinking beer at Helensvale Shopping Centre in Borrowdale.

“It was at around 2000 hours when the now deceased and the accused persons decided to travel to Domboshava where they cohabited as husband and wife,” the court heard.

According to the allegations, heavy rains later forced the pair to seek shelter at “number 716 Whisper Road, Borrowdale, Harare up to around 2200 hours.” While there, “the accused and now deceased had a misunderstanding and the now deceased was refusing to go home in the company of the accused person.”

The State told the court that after the rain stopped, the two left the premises and “walked towards Harare–Domboshava Road.”

Outlining the basis for the charge, the prosecutor said, “the accused person was the last person to be with the now deceased.”

The court further heard that “upon his arrest, it was noted that the accused person’s clothes had fresh blood stains and they were taken to CID Forensic Science for examination.”

The prosecutor also indicated that “there are witnesses to testify who positively identified the accused person and the now deceased leaving house number 716 Whisper Road, Borrowdale, believed to be going home.”

Maseluthilini’s body was later found along Borrowdale–Domboshava Road and was taken to Parirenyatwa Hospital Mortuary for post-mortem examinations.

Tawengwa was arrested on January 5 at around 11am and remains in custody pending further proceedings.