HARARE - A Masvingo man allegedly murdered a fellow Zimbabwean residing in Botswana before looting his property and fleeing back to the country, a Harare court has heard.

The 28-year-old Munyaradzi Willias Mapurisa yesterday appeared before Magistrate Tendai Mahwe on allegations of killing Vivian Monced Moyo.

 Mapurisa allegedly approached Moyo at his house while he was alone, tied him with a neck-tie, assaulted him and strangled him to death in March 2007.

Prosecutor Tungamirai Chakurira told the court that Mapurisa ransacked Moyo’s house and stole goods worth more than 2 000 pula before fleeing back to Zimbabwe.

Moyo’s wife, Mary, found her husband dead and filed a police report in Botswana, according to the prosecution.

Mapurisa was arrested in June 2007 at Plumtree border post, while attempting to illegally return into Botswana.

He led the police to the recovery of the stolen goods at his rural home in Masvingo. - Ivan Zhakata