A Zimbabwean police officer and a soldier, both stationed in Beitbridge, have been arrested for fatally assaulting a would be border jumper who allegedly intended to cross into South Africa illegally through an undesignated entry point along the Limpopo River.

The two, Brighton Mubereki (23) and Constantine Masuku (27), a member of the Zimbabwe National Army, were arrested after being on the run after for a week, after allegedly committing the offence.

They both appeared before Beitbridge magistrate Mr Ignatius Mhene on Monday, facing murder charges. The case was, however, postponed to 20 November and the accused were refused bail and remanded in custody.

The charge against Mubereki and Masusku is that in October they were on patrol along the Limpopo River when they then spotted Vhasani Mulaudzi in the bushy area near the Limpopo River where he allegedly intended to cross into South Africa through an undesignated entry point.

The accused then apprehended him and subsequently demanded to see Mulaudzi’s passport, which he did not possess. They allegedly then took him to their base where they took turns to assault Mulaudzi, using a baton stick until he fell unconscious.

He was then taken to Beitbridge District Hospital, where he later died due to severe injuries sustained.

A report was then made to the police and Mubereki and Masuku went into hiding until their arrest on Friday night. The two accused were arrested in Dulibadzimu suburb in Beitbridge, following a public tip-off.