FIGTREE – The death of military intelligence officer Hillary Nleya has sparked a wave of speculation, with questions arising over whether his demise was a suicide or a targeted killing.
Nleya, who went missing last month, was last seen along the Plumtree-Bulawayo road in Redwood. His body was later discovered hanging from a tree in Figtree, Matabeleland South Province.
Initially ruled a suicide, the case has since taken a more sinister turn due to Nleya’s military background, which has raised suspicions of foul play.
During a parliamentary debate on the Death Penalty Abolition Bill last week, Senator Lwazi Sibanda, who is Nleya’s cousin, openly suggested he may have been murdered.
“I rise with a heavy heart,” Sibanda said in an emotional address. “I am a woman, a mother, and a Senator of this country, yet I stand here with a cousin lying in the mortuary—Hilary Nleya—whom we searched for over two weeks, only to find him dead in Figtree. He was murdered by a person we do not yet know.”
Sibanda’s statement brought renewed scrutiny to the case, with some questioning whether Nleya’s role in military intelligence could have made him a target.
Death Penalty Debate Highlights Complexity of Justice
Sibanda’s remarks were part of a broader discussion on the abolition of the death penalty. While she expressed support for the Bill, her personal experience underscored the emotional weight of murder cases and the anguish caused by those who show no remorse for their crimes.
“We remember many friends and colleagues who have been murdered by people roaming the streets—some known, some unknown,” she said. “It is painful to spare a murderer who shows no remorse, like someone who kills a helpless young woman walking home after work just to steal her bag.”
Sibanda’s impassioned speech highlighted the complexities of balancing justice and mercy, as the Senate debated whether to replace capital punishment with life imprisonment.
The Bill was eventually passed by the Senate and is now awaiting President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s signature to become law.
Investigation Ongoing
Meanwhile, investigations into Nleya’s death are ongoing, as his family and the public demand answers. The possibility of foul play has intensified calls for transparency and accountability from authorities.
As the nation grapples with the emotional and political implications of both Nleya’s death and the death penalty debate, questions about justice and security remain unresolved.
