By Miriam Mangwaya

A BEATRICE farm worker allegedly murdered his 77-year-old employer and dumped her body in a dam on Sunday before he also died in a road traffic accident the following day.

The suspect of Jefferson Farm in Beatrice, who was only identified as Sonboy, allegedly struck the now-deceased Esther Muhambi with a mattock on the head, tied her onto a rock and threw the body into a dam. He later fled with her Toyota Raum vehicle which he was later involved in an accident with.

Mashonaland East police spokesperson Inspector Tendai Mwanza could not be reached for comment.

However, according to police sources, on January 4, Sonboy and Muhambi drove to a nearby garden about 2km from their homestead.

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The suspect later returned home alone.

He sent his co-worker to go and buy rice. When the co-worker returned, Sonboy was not at home. He also discovered that their employer’s vehicle was not there as well.

The following day, Claudius Ngandu, a neighbour, received a phone call from Norton police that Sonboy was involved in an accident while driving a Totoya Raum.

Ngandu inquired whether Muhambi was in the vehicle, but he was told she was not.

Ngandu later informed another neighbour that Muhambi was missing and a search for her began. They went to her garden and saw drag marks towards a dam. They found the deceased’s body tied onto a rock.

The matter was reported to the police.