A 34-year-old Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) officer has died under controversial and unresolved circumstances while in police custody in Chinhoyi, triggering outrage and deep concern from his family. The deceased, Tawanda Marumahoko, had been arrested in connection with an alleged armed robbery, but his relatives say the official police narrative does not align with what they witnessed and experienced. His death has now intensified long-standing public fears about the treatment of suspects in police custody and the opaque nature of certain investigations.
According to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), Marumahoko was suspected of participating in the robbery of a bread delivery truck, during which US$10,000 and a mobile phone were allegedly stolen along the Harare–Chirundu Road on Friday, 14 November 2025. Police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the matter began when the truck’s driver, 32-year-old Kenneth Tsvarisai, reported that he had been attacked near the Mashonaland West Provincial Heroes Acre while travelling from Banket to Chinhoyi. Investigations soon cast doubt on the initial account, suggesting that the robbery may have been staged from within. Police claim Tsvarisai received cash from his manager and then provided inside information to facilitate the heist.
Under pressure, Tsvarisai allegedly implicated Marumahoko, leading to the officer’s arrest. Police said they recovered US$4,680 from the case and that Marumahoko had admitted to using US$300 to hire a lawyer after hearing of Tsvarisai’s arrest. Officers further alleged that Marumahoko led investigators to the crime scene, where they retrieved an Eko P29 ONT 007 blowgun loaded with eight rounds.
However, the police narrative becomes increasingly murky from this point onward. Authorities claim Marumahoko attempted to escape and was pursued and apprehended by members of the public in what they described as a “citizen’s arrest”. What remains glaringly unclear, however, is how a handcuffed and detained suspect managed to break free from police custody in the first place—and how an impromptu mob materialised in a remote area. Commissioner Nyathi did not address these core inconsistencies, leaving the public and Marumahoko’s family with more questions than answers.
Marumahoko was eventually rushed to Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital, where he died shortly after admission. The police did not provide details about his injuries or the circumstances that led to his deteriorating condition. For his family, this omission speaks volumes.
ZPCS Officer Dies in Police Custody Under Mysterious Circumstances, Family Demands Truth
His wife, Mary Muzama, has provided a harrowing counter-narrative that deeply contradicts the police version. She insists her husband was tortured while in custody. Muzama said police officers arrested Marumahoko on Saturday morning before taking him home later in the day to collect items they alleged were relevant to their investigation. She claims that both she and her husband were severely assaulted at Chinhoyi Police Station.
“When I first saw him at Chinhoyi Police Station, he could hardly walk,” she recounted. “His legs were swollen, the right one was bleeding, he kept falling, and his forehead was swollen.”
Muzama said she herself was detained unlawfully, beaten for nearly four hours, and had her phone confiscated. She also claims officers openly threatened her husband, describing him as “a problematic suspect” who always found a way to secure release. One officer allegedly warned her not to be shocked if she heard that “he had been shot,” telling her that she was bringing problems to the police.
By the last time she saw him alive, Marumahoko was so badly injured that he was unable to stand or walk. Muzama said officers insisted she return the following day, giving no indication that her husband had been taken anywhere or that his condition was serious enough to warrant hospitalisation.
His uncle, Office Marumahoko, travelled from Magunje seeking answers but said the family was now engulfed in “shock and confusion”. They have not been granted access to view the body, heightening their suspicions. The alleged involvement of a “mob” also rings hollow to them. The area where the supposed citizen’s arrest occurred is known to be remote and densely vegetated, making the sudden appearance of a crowd unlikely.
Human rights organisations in Zimbabwe have repeatedly raised concerns about the pattern of suspects dying during “crime indications”—a process in which police escort suspects to reconstruct events. Over the years, numerous suspects, particularly those accused of armed robbery, have allegedly attempted to flee, attack officers, or resist arrest during these processes, only to be fatally injured under disputed circumstances.
Marumahoko’s death now adds to a growing list of deaths in custody that families and watchdog organisations insist must be independently investigated. For many Zimbabweans, this latest case underscores long-standing fears about excessive force, lack of accountability, and systemic abuse during police operations. As the family presses for answers, the nation is once again confronted with difficult questions about justice, transparency, and the sanctity of life within the country’s law enforcement system.
Source- ZimEye
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