shloboe boe
Mashudu Mambo
A 30-YEAR-OLD man from Mpopoma suburb in Bulawayo suburb expressed relief after he was acquitted on charges of attempted murder.
The State failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, the magistrate said. Bulawayo regional magistrate Dambudzo Malunga acquitted Darlington Ncube who was facing four charges of attempted murder.
Ncube was represented by his lawyer Nhlalwenhle Dube of Dube Legal Practice. His legal counsel denied all the allegations levelled against him.
“The accused pleads not guilty to the alleged charges and in his defence, he will state that he was not at the complainant’s residence on the day in question. The accused did not position himself behind a thatched roof of the complainant’s cottage at any point. He will deny any intent aimed at causing harm to the complainants,” he said.
Dube stated that the accused was in Mpopoma suburb at the time of the commission of the offence.
“The accused will tell the court that on 15 June 2024, at around 22:30 hours, he was at his residence in Mpopoma suburb with Melisa Dube. Earlier that evening at around 2100hours, the accused was indeed in Queenspark East suburb, but at corner Cavan and Longford Road, with his girlfriend Samukelo Dube before he left for Mpopoma. At no point in that evening was the accused at 57 Longford Road when the alleged incident occurred,” he said.
State allegations are that on 15 June 2024 at around 10PM, Ncube approached Charles Phiri’s residence and positioned himself behind a thatched cottage.
He was outside the yard and used some petrol to set ablaze the thatched roof of the cottage whilst there were four victims, Evenia Dube, Olesina Nxumalo and two minors in the house.
The family managed to escape unharmed and Phiri who was coming from the shops managed to spot the number plate of the vehicle allegedly used by the suspect, and reported the matter to the police.
Investigations were conducted leading to the arrest of Ncube.
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