The
officer,
Thembani
Mukanyani
(39),
and
his
accomplice,
Cabangani
“Mike”
Mathe
(35),
are
charged
with
the
brutal
murder
of
Benitta
Tshuma.
Tshuma
was
supposed
to
be
safe
in
police
custody
after
reporting
a
rape
case
against
Mathe
when
Mukanyani
allegedly
handed
her
over
to
Mathe
late
at
night.
It
is
believed
that
Mathe
took
her
across
the
border
to
Botswana,
where
he
beat
her
to
death.
The
case
came
to
light
when
her
decomposed
body
was
discovered,
and
witnesses
said
that
she
was
last
seen
with
Mukanyani.
This
led
to
the
arrest
of
both
men.
They
first
appeared
in
the
Plumtree
Magistrates’
Court
on
June
11,
where
Magistrate
Ailene
Munamati
remanded
them
in
custody
until
June
25.
The
courtroom
was
filled
with
women
demanding
justice,
many
expressing
their
anger
and
sharing
their
own
experiences
of
abuse
at
the
hands
of
the
accused.
State
prosecutor
Ruth
Ncube
is
overseeing
the
case.