Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba
The gang of five men, including four brothers, from Silobela in Kwekwe who deliberately murdered another man at Linda Business Centre late in 2022 in a planned assault with knives, sticks and kicks, have been sentenced to the maximum of life imprisonment after the judge found they could never return to society.
The four brothers, Mkhululi (26), Qhubekani (23), Qabhakani (30), and Thulani Ncube (27), and their neighbour Mexen Moyo (28), were convicted of the murder of Isabel Ndlovu (28) at Linda Business Centre, Silobela, on November 30, 2022 by High Court judge Justice Munamato Mutevedzi sitting with two assessors.
On Friday, after the judge had considered evidence in mitigation and aggravation, he found the aggravating circumstances so severe in the premeditated brutal attack committed without remorse.
The gang stabbed Mr Ndlovu with knives and assaulted him with sticks and an empty beer bottle leading to his death on admission to Kwekwe District Hospital.
The Ncube bothers all of Mabuthe Village, Chief Malisa, Silobela and Moyo of Mthethehe Village, also under Chief Malisa in Silobela appeared before Justice Mutevedzi during the High Court circuit in Gweru.
They tendered a plea of not guilty but were convicted after a full trial.
Prosecutor Mr Justin Uladi told the court that the gang and Mr Ndlovu were not related.
The court found that on November 30, 2022 at around 4pm, Mr Ndlovu was at Linda Business Centre Silobela at Peter Maranga’s shop.
The gang walked towards the shop armed with knives and Mr Ndlovu walked towards them. Cabangani Ncube grabbed Mr Ndlovu by the trousers belt before he tried to run away and then Moyo hit Mr Ndlovu with an empty beer bottle and tripped him to the ground.
While Mr Ndlovu was on the ground, Moyo grabbed his leg and stabbed him with a knife twice on the buttocks.
Qhubekani Ncube then stabbed him with a knife on the thigh and the rest of the gang joined in and stabbed Mr Ndlovu indiscriminately on the legs and buttocks.
Thulani Ncube hit Mr Ndlovu with a log on the legs and arm while Mkhululi Ncube stamped on his neck and kicked him on the ribs.
He said Ndlovu was taken to Kwekwe District Hospital where he died upon arrival.
Mr Ndlovu’s body was taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals where a full post mortem examination was conducted and the cause of death was hypovolemic shock and stab wounds.
Several witnesses gave their testimonies.
Ms Siplelile Ncube told the court she saw Mr Ndlovu being tripped to the ground before the gang started stabbing him all over the body with knives. The testimony of Ndlovu’s mother, Ms Sawe Ncube, evoked a sense of sympathy and compassion from the court.
“When I arrived at the shops, and when the accused people saw me, Qhubekani and Thulani used logs to beat my son’s legs and arms, while Mkhululi stomped on his neck and kicked him in the ribs,” she said.
Ms Ncube said the attackers were armed with knives, adding that they showed no remorse, referring to her son as a “dog.”
Constable Mhondiwa Chitima told the court that on August 7 2023 the accused brothers surrendered themselves at the police station with Moyo doing the same on August 26.
In delivering the sentence, Justice Mutevedzi said the gang forfeited their right to a second chance in society due to the heinous nature of the murder they committed.
“You do not deserve to reintegrate into society. Your actions demonstrate a complete disregard for human life, and therefore, you forfeit your right to a second chance. Accused one to five are sentenced to a life in prison each,” ruled the judge.
