7 Tsholotsho men strip villager, assault him to death for stealing donkeys

Danisa Masuku [email protected]

SEVEN men who teamed up with accomplices who are on the run and allegedly force-marched a fellow villager for five kilometres, ordering him to remove his clothes before fatally assaulting him with a sjambok and knobkerries, have appeared in court facing murder charges.

After allegedly killing the fellow villager, the accused dumped his body by the roadside.

Mengezi Moyo, Khesali Ncube, Cathbert Moyo, Mkhululi Sibanda, Mkumbi Ndlovu, Qhubekani Ncube and Bulisani Moyo who appeared before Tsholotsho Resident Magistrate Mr Maxwell Ncube, were remanded in custody to 14 October.

They were advised to apply for bail at the Bulawayo High Court.

Prosecuting, Ms Nobubule Mguni said the incident occurred on 28 December 2022 at around 10pm.

“The accused persons approached Mr Africa Ncube, who resides at Zidulwini Line under Headman Mahlathini, Chief Gampu in Tsholotsho. They accused him of stealing their donkeys,” she said.

The accused slapped Mr Ncube several times before force-marching him into a bushy area, about five kilometres from the village.

They then ordered him to remove his clothes and thereafter started assaulting him with a sjambok and knobkerries, the court heard.

Mengezi allegedly struck Mr Ncube several times on the back with the sjambok before the other accused persons joined in.

Ms Mguni said the accused later took turns to assault the deceased all over the body with sjamboks, knobkerries and switches resulting in him bleeding profusely.

She said after the assault, the accused persons took a donkey-drawn scotch cart and ferried the seriously injured Mr Ncube towards Simanje Line, claiming they were looking for their stolen donkeys.

“After travelling for about two kilometers, the deceased started vomiting and became unconscious. The accused persons tried to render first aid but to no avail. Realising that he had died, they dumped his body on the side of the Gwese-Mbamba Road and fled,” she said.

A report was made to police who attended the scene.

“Police observed that the deceased had sustained head injuries, fractured hands, scars on the back and multiple injuries all over the body. The body was later taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals for post-mortem,” said Ms Mguni.

A manhunt for the accused persons was launched leading to the arrest of the seven accused but Probit Moyo and Sipho Moyo are still on the run.