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Mashudu Mambo
A DISPUTE over a cellphone left a 42-year-old man from Nkayi in Matabeleland North province hospitalised and homeless after two men allegedly burnt his hut and stabbed him twice with a spear.
Qinisani Mlalazi (19) appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Collet Ncube facing two charges of attempted murder. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was remanded in custody to 26 October for continuation of trial.
During trial, Mlalazi told the court that he did not commit the offence as he had been stabbed while fighting at the shops.
“This crime was committed by my uncle, Melody Sibanda who is on the run. On the day in question, l had a fight with Khanele Sibanda at the shops, l got stabbed and went home.
“Sibanda came home after stabbing Nkomo (whose first name could not be established) and told us that he was running away,” said Mlalazi.
State allegations against Mlalazi are that on 5 June 2023 at around 6pm at Sivalo Business Centre in Nkayi, Sibanda took Nkomo’s cellphone which he intended to use as a torch but never returned it.
On the next day, Nkomo confronted Sibanda and asked for his cellphone but Sibanda then told him that he did not have the phone and a misunderstanding arose. Sibanda then started being violent and Nkomo left the shops and retired to his homestead. At around 11pm, Sibanda and Mlalazi went to Nkomo’s homestead and set his hut on fire.
Nkomo’s wife, Precious Ndou woke up and alerted her husband about the fire and they tried to escape. Ndou opened the door and met Sibanda who tried to stab her but she managed to escape the attack and ran back into the burning hut.
Nkomo then went out of the house and Sibanda stabbed him with a spear on the shoulder and the abdomen and he fell unconscious. The duo fled the scene.
Nkomo was taken to Mbuma Mission Hospital for medical treatment and a medical report was produced in court as evidence. Investigations led to the arrest of Mlalazi.
Siphakeme .Mnindwa
mbulelo smpofu
