Building collapse: Police release deceased, injured names

  The names of the deceased and the injured have been made public by the police following the Saturday afternoon collapse of a building in central Harare. People who were hiding from a hailstorm along a pavement were crushed by a building at Chinhoyi Street near Gulf Complex, resulting in one fatality and six injuries. Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, a spokesman for the national police, identified the dead as Yolanda Hodzi, 40, of Maridale, Norton, in a statement. Kudzaishe Mafauna from Ushewokunze, Trywell Leadmore from Adylinn, Westgate, Wadzanai Baureni from Waterfalls, Brendon Madondo from Unit K, Chitungwiza, and Conilias Chiwaka from Ruwa were identified as the injured parties.  

  According to Nyathi, the wounded were also brought to the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals for medical attention, and the deceased's body was sent there for a post-mortem. Three nearby cars that were parked close to the structure sustained additional damage: a Mazda 323, a Toyota Probox, and a Toyota Spade. Nyathi stated that it was not yet known how much the destroyed property was worth. In the meantime, during an exercise to recover a gun taken during the crime, cops shot and killed one of the suspects in the armed robbery at Quest Financial Services in Belgravia two months ago on Thursday.  

  On February 25, 2024, Quest Financial Services was the victim of an armed robbery. The company lost three laptops, R10 500, 120 euros, US$720 676, and a 7.65mm CV Vzor handgun. Blessing Sumbani Sithole (49), one of the main suspects, was shot in Southlea Park, Harare, near the Manyame River, according to Nyathi.Detectives from CID Harare were notified on April 4, 2024, that Blessing Sumbani Sithole, 49, was holed up in a home in Makondo Extension, Chiredzi. The police spokesperson stated that the suspect was apprehended after the investigators tracked him to Chiredzi.  

  Following the arrest, a Toyota Probox with the registration number AGF 1832 and a.38 special pistol with seven rounds were found. The suspect claimed to have purchased the car for US$6,300 using his portion of the loot. According to Nyathi, Sithole took investigators to the Manyame River in Southlea Park, where he alleged he had concealed the CZ Vzor handgun. Sithole allegedly pulled out the weapon at the riverbank, cocked it, and pointed it at the investigators, who then shot him in the back. After being taken to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital quickly, Sithole passed away there.