Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have moved to quash circulating social media rumours claiming that a suspect has been arrested in connection with the murder of businessman Joseph Mutangadura.
On Thursday, multiple posts on platforms such as Facebook alleged that law enforcement officers had cornered and apprehended one of the suspects in the Gazebo area following a gunfire exchange.
Some messages even claimed that the arrested suspect had disclosed the whereabouts of his accomplices in Epworth.
In an interview with Zimpapers, ZRP spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi dismissed the reports as false and urged the public to refrain from spreading unverified information.
He said:
“People should disregard what is being circulated on social media. The police will officially pronounce any developments regarding the Mutangadura incident.
“Those who are putting information on social media which is not verified should be careful, lest they interfere with investigations and in the process derail what the police is doing.”
Mutangadura, affectionately known as “Mutangaz,” was shot dead during a suspected robbery at his Lisheen Estate farmhouse on the night of 17 August 2025.
According to the ZRP, a gang of seven masked men armed with pistols, claw bars, and hammers overpowered the security guard, tied his hands with shoelaces, and forced their way into the house.
Mutangadura, his wife, their son, and the security guard were all held at gunpoint during the attack.
He was shot in the stomach while asleep beside his wife, and reports indicate that five additional rounds were fired into his chest.
He was rushed to Eden Hospital in Ruwa, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Mutangadura, the owner of Lisheen Estate, Mutangaz Panyama, and several butcheries, was a well-known figure in the business community.
His son, Munyaradzi Mutangadura, said the body will be collected from the parlour on Friday. A church service will be held at the family home in Ruwa, where the body will spend the night before being laid to rest on Saturday.
