A Botswana Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) pastor has been linked with the alleged murder of a suspected Zimbabwean commercial sex worker in December 2022.
She was found dead in her house in Maun on 24 December last year.
According to The Voice, a Botswana newspaper, as cited by B-Metro, reported that the married pastor, Marvin Pelonomi Radihephi (38) is based in Francistown.
Radihephi is suspected to have killed 48-year-old Warricious Bhunu after he allegedly solicited sex services from her.
He has since appeared before Maun Magistrate Court where he was not asked to plead and was remanded out of custody on condition that he reports every two weeks at Francistown Police Station.
The report says police are waiting for DNA and postmortem results, which will guide the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on how to proceed with the case.
DNA tests from a used condom are also expected to be used to either link or exonerate Radihephi.
Allegations are that Bhunu was hired by Radihephi for services for two days before Christmas Day when he was visiting his home village of Maun.
Bhunu was alleged to have been found dead in her house located along a street commonly known as Harare at Sanyedi ward the next morning.
According to The Voice, Radihephi allegedly emerged from the room and sat in the car on Christmas Eve, which was on a Sabbath.
Nobody paid much attention until around six o’clock when one of Bhunu’s friends came around to check on her.
The woman greeted Radihephi, whose vehicle was parked right in front of Bhunu’s doorstep, and asked him if she was in and he responded in the affirmative.
The Voice said a witness, who stays in the neighbourhood, added that she was one of the people that came rushing to the scene when Bhunu’s friend who found her dead screamed for help.
Bhunu was allegedly lying naked and motionless on the floor and beside her were some used condoms.
The pastor, who was said to have been sitting in the parked car, is said to have sped off. However, witnesses had reportedly noted down the car registration numbers. The matter was then reported to the police and the car owner was tracked down
Pastor Radihephi was later arrested while in possession of the same car. Bhunu’s body was repatriated back home and was buried last month.
In other news – Harare Central Prison inmate murdered in prison cells
Two inmates at Harare Central Prison have appeared in court on charges of murder after allegedly fatally assaulting another inmate.
The two prisoners, allegedly teamed up to assault a fellow prisoner, accusing him of attempting to sodomise one of them. Learn More
