Killer Ex-Cop Jaison Muvevi Still In Psychiatric Hospital - NPA
Former policeman Jaison Muvevi remains in a psychiatric hospital after two specialists diagnosed him with mental illness last year.
This information was said by Angeline Munyeriwa, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), during an interview with The Herald on Tuesday.
Muvevi faces four counts of murder and one count of attempted murder for crimes committed between November 2022 and January 2023.
Munyeriwa said that while all investigations into the case are complete, the trial is being postponed solely due to the accused’s ongoing mental health challenges. She said:
Jason Muvevi was examined by two medical doctors and was committed to a psychiatric institution. Investigations were also completed and the matter will only proceed after he has been released from the psychiatric institution.
Muvevi is accused of killing a man in Harare and two others in Hwedza, as well as attempting to kill another individual in Mutare.
In September 2023, Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi ordered Muvevi to be committed to a psychiatric hospital after two doctors confirmed his mental illness.
His lawyer, Blessed Matandira, argued that Muvevi was mentally unfit and requested an examination to clarify his mental health status.
Prosecutors allege that on November 19, 2022, around 9 PM, Muvevi approached Nyasha Eusen and Nyarai Round at Clan Court in Eastlea, Harare. He allegedly drew a pistol and shot Round in the head for no apparent reason.
As Eusen attempted to flee, Muvevi apprehended him and forced him into his Toyota Allion vehicle. It is claimed that Muvevi then drove to Huruyadzo Shopping Centre in St Mary’s, Chitungwiza, accompanied by two unknown men.
Eusen managed to escape and subsequently reported the murder and kidnapping to the police.
However, it was only after Muvevi’s arrest for the murders in Hwedza that he was connected to the murder of Round.
On 13 January 2024, for reasons yet unclear, Muvevi drove to a Johanne Masowe eChishanu Apostolic Church shrine where his mother, Shupikai Muvevi, was in attendance together with other congregants.
At the shrine, he shot the prophet and leader of the shrine, Chrispen Kaneritsine at close range killing him instantly.
Witnesses at the church claim that his mother, shocked at the murder, retorted “What have you done my son?” Muvevi then told the church gathering to leave the shrine.
He then sped off and proceeded to Hwedza Business Centre. In the meantime, the shooting at the shrine was reported at ZRP Hwedza.
The officer-in-charge of Hwedza Police Station Inspector Maxwell Hove (43) mobilised a team of police officers and left ZRP Hwedza for Negombwe Village.
The team of police officers spotted Muvevi parked at the 25km peg along Hwedza-Murambinda Road. He was talking to an unidentified man.
The cops blocked Muvevi’s vehicle and as they were getting out of their car, he opened fire and shot Insp Hove thrice in the head while he was seated in the passenger seat.
Muvevi also allegedly shot Detective Constable Tendai Mugova three times in the pelvis and abdomen, leaving him seriously injured.
The other police officers dropped an FN rifle with a magazine and 10 rounds and a CZ pistol and ran for dear life.
After the incident, Muvevi drove to Mukamba Business Centre where he went to Ruzema Bottle Store.
According to the charge sheet, Muvevi saw Munashe Majani, a barman, outside the bar in the company of Given Pambeni and Tinashe Musangano.
He allegedly called Majani over and had a brief chat with him before shooting him. The motive for the murder was not immediately ascertained.
On 14 January, Police announced that Muvevi had been intercepted in Rusape in the Chiduku area and that he had managed to escape arrest after a shootout with the police.
Muvevi was reported to have abandoned his Toyota Allion vehicle and escaped on foot.
The police recovered a firearm, an FN rifle, he had seized the previous day after shooting a police officer dead.
On 15 January, in Mutare, Muvevi bought a new blue work-suit from Wasu Shopping Mall for ZWL$14 250 using EcoCash.
It was the worksuit he was wearing when he was arrested in Mozambique the following day.
After buying the work-suit, he boarded a Marymount-bound pirate taxi, resulting in him ending up at Mutare Boys’ High School en route to Mozambique.
He visited the school’s compound barefooted and lied that he was on a mission to kill the marauding baboons in the area.
Muvevi confronted Zvikomborero Mangorwa soon after she emerged from the shower and violently knocked on her family’s door and demanded that all the occupants move out.
He then asked for food and also produced a US$10 bill and asked Mangorwa to buy him a road-runner chicken to prepare a meal for him. She said she refused after realising that he was armed.
Muvevi didn’t know where he was, and when told he was at Mutare Boys’ High School, he asked for directions to Mozambique.
But before he left, he also confronted Mangorwa’s sister when she came back home. He told her he was on a mission to kill baboons as he had heard that they were a menace in the area, saying the shots he had fired were meant to scare away the baboons.
Muvevi said he wanted food and told the woman that he was prepared to cook his own food, but she refused. He then left when he realised that some people were coming to the house.
Raphel Nyahwema said he narrowly escaped death after Muvevi fired three shots towards him from less than 10 metres after he had tried to pick up a hoe handle on realising that he was armed.
Nyahwema said Muvevi had asked him to cook food for him but he refused. One of the bullets that missed Nyahwema perforated a geyser tank pitched at the staff quarters.
Muvevi hid in a toilet at Asei Game Park and the thickets around Mutare Boys’ High School as he evaded the detectives who were pursuing him.
After his arrest, Muvevi told the police that he crossed into Mozambique at night before hiring a motorcyclist to ferry him to Chimoio.
The cyclist, who was filmed narrating his encounter with Muvevi, said he was offered US$200 to ferry him to Chimoio.
Muvevi was arrested on the morning of 16 January in Mozambique. He had crossed into the country after being on the run since the Saturday shootout.
He was arrested by Mozambican police in the Manica Province just a few minutes after crossing into the country.
On 17 January, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) confirmed Muvevi’s extradition from Mozambique.
He was initially taken to Mutare before he was ferried to Harare ahead of his court appearance.
It was initially reported that Mozambican police refused to hand over Muvevi to their Zimbabwean counterparts because they wanted him to be tried there for the illegal possession of firearms.
However, detectives managed to bring Muvevi back to Zimbabwe on 17 January after some formalities had been completed.
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