The inquiry into the shocking murder of well-known businessman Joseph “Mutangaz” Mutangadura has taken an unexpected development following leaked messages on social media hinting at possible internal involvement.
Mutangadura, aged 67, was fatally shot late Sunday night inside his 13-room farmhouse located at Lisheen Estate in Ruwa. While initial police statements classified the incident as a violent robbery, emerging information now raises the possibility that the killing was a targeted assassination.
Social media posts, allegedly from a close family member, reveal that police confiscated the wife’s cellphone. These messages also suggest that hired assassins unknowingly demanded payment directly from detectives impersonating her. One message claimed that of the seven assailants, one was apprehended near Gazebo, and the others were tracked to Epworth.
Authorities have yet to verify the authenticity of these leaked communications and continue to investigate the claims.
According to official police reports, seven masked men armed with pistols, crowbars, and hammers overpowered the security guard before entering the property. They restrained the guard, asked for a description of Mutangadura, and proceeded to his bedroom where he was with his wife, Patience.
Though Mutangadura reportedly offered to show them cash at a nearby abattoir, the intruders shot him multiple times in the stomach and chest, killing him instantly. Notably, the attackers left valuables behind and only took a cellphone valued at approximately US$10, raising suspicions that their true intent was not theft but elimination.
“It is troubling that the assailants targeted Joseph’s life rather than his money,” a family insider told the press.
Patience, who had recently reconciled with Mutangadura after a divorce, was knocked unconscious during the assault and later hospitalized. She remains under police protection. However, reports that investigators seized her cellphone have fueled speculation about potential insider involvement.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the murder but emphasized that the case is still being investigated as a robbery-homicide. “The extent of stolen property has not yet been determined,” he stated.
The ruthless and precise nature of the killing reflects a disturbing pattern of suspected contract killings in Zimbabwe since 2017, where victims are executed and possessions left largely untouched.
Mutangadura, who owned several butcheries, Lisheen Estate, and the well-known Mutangadura Hideout, was a respected figure in business communities across Ruwa and Harare.
source – online
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