Gweru triple murder suspect arrested in Ireland after two years on run

He’s wanted in Harare for allegedly shooting second wife, her suspected lover and female friend

By The Irish Times

A man from Zimbabwe who is wanted to face charges for three murders there has been arrested by gardaí and appeared before the courts.

The Irish Times has learned he faces unrelated, more minor, charges in the Republic.

He was arrested by gardaí (police) this week in relation to those offences, allegedly committed since he has been in Ireland. The triple murder suspect has already appeared before the courts and been remanded in custody.

The authorities in Zimbabwe have been in contact with Interpol, and with An Garda Siochana, about locating him and then seeking his arrest for extradition back to Zimbabwe to face trial there.

The man’s second wife and a man she was suspected of being in a relationship with were shot dead in Gweru in April 2021. Another woman, who was a friend of his second wife, was also shot dead in the incident.

The authorities in Zimbabwe allege he shot all three in a crime of passion and want him to stand trial on those charges. The man shot dead was a rival of the accused’s in the car trade in Gweru, a city in central Zimbabwe.

The authorities in Zimbabwe claimed last month though an Interpol Red Notice had been issued for his arrest, they believe he had travelled to Ireland under a false identity. They further claimed to have information that he had applied for international protection, with family members, in Ireland and was living in a facility in west Dublin pending the processing of his application.

However, an Interpol Red Notice is not the same as an international arrest warrant as it does not carry the power of arrest. Instead, a suspect subject to such a notice would have to be arrested in the country they were living, before the authorities seeking their extradition began a separate process to secure the suspect’s return to their country to stand trial.

The authorities in Zimbabwe believe the man left the country after the treble shooting on April 23rd, 2021, for South Africa before travelling on to the Republic.

In reply to queries, Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin, said a man in his late 30s had been arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of offences contrary to the Criminal Justice Theft & Fraud Offences Act 2001.

“The male has appeared before the District Court and is currently remanded in custody,” the statement said. “As the male is currently before the court, An Garda Síochána has no further comment at this time.”