By Rex Mphisa
BEITBRIDGE police have been given a pat on the back for their swift reaction and arrest of Daniel Chamisa aka Madzibaba Weslodge in connection with last week’s murder of popular Beitbridge man Ashton Manga.
Chamisa is the prime suspect having lured Manga to his shrine and being the last person seen with the late Manga.
Soon after news spread police were hot on the heels of the suspect recovering what is believed to have been his gate away vehicle along the Harare to Beitbridge highway.
“This was an excellent execution of duty. It is our hope that this continues to happen even in cases of robberies in our homes,” former Beitbridge mayor Munyaradzi Chitsunge.
He said the business community must assist police where resources lack for their work to be easy.
Another Beitbridge businessman who asked for anonymity said police should be equipped with drones and the business community must contribute towards that.
“At the end of the day the advantage is ours, its win win, if the community is safe, they buy from us. With a drone police can easily track robbers at night. Its the technology in the world and we must use it,” he said.
A good drone costs around R3 000 to R5 000 and that amount could easily be sourced from the community, he said.
The Potensic Atom SE is a sub-250 g drone engineered for simplicity and performance.
Equipped with a 4K camera, 12 MP stills capability, and ShakeVanish electronic stabilisation, it delivers smooth, clear aerial footage without the bulk.
It is GPS-enabled functions like Return-to-Home, Follow-Me, Circle Flight, and Waypoint mode elevate flying experience, while the compact foldable form fits easily into a jacket pocket.
Although they require some specific settings, drones can take images at night.
There are also some specialised night vision or thermal drones for professional use.
Several Beitbridge residents in different social media groups praised the police for the swift response with others asking local authorities to monitor the sprouting churches.
When they went to pick Manga’s remains, police also found another unidentified body.
“These bush churches should be brought under scrutiny. Apart from having no toilets, followers of those churches harm the environment,” said Antony Moyo.
Chamisa was on Monday remanded in custody after he was formally charged for Manga’s murder.
His appearance ended much anxiety among Beitbridge residents most of whom are still baffled by the murder.