Online Reporter
Kimberley Chitambara, [email protected]
A 25-year-old man from Beitbridge has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for murdering a fellow villager following a misunderstanding during a beer-drinking spree.
Prennie Mudau of Zulunga Village under Chief Matibe was convicted of murder as defined in Section 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] by Bulawayo High Court Judge Justice Ngoni Nduna for the murder of Titus Ndou.
The second accused, Clive Ndou (26), was found guilty of assaulting the now-deceased and sentenced to 12 months in prison, wholly suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
The State, represented by chief public prosecutor Mr Kudakwashe Jaravaza, told the court that on March 23, 2025, at around 10am, the now-deceased and Francis Ndou, who is still at large, were drinking beer at Forget Gumbo’s homestead when a misunderstanding arose between them.
The pair allegedly began fighting before being restrained by other patrons. Later that day, at around 4pm, the first and second accused, in the company of Francis Ndou, reportedly confronted the now-deceased at Mashudu Ndou’s homestead.
They allegedly assaulted him indiscriminately all over the body using open hands and fists.
“The second accused person went on to strike the deceased several times all over the body using a stick. The deceased broke free from the accused persons and tried to escape but the first accused person pursued and caught up with him about 30 metres away. He then stabbed the deceased with a knife once on the right side of the neck,” said Mr Jaravaza.
The two accused persons and their accomplice, who is still at large, allegedly fled from the scene after the attack. The court heard that Titus managed to walk a few metres before collapsing.
“A shorter while later the witnesses and other villagers followed the direction where the deceased had fled and found him lying on the ground, showing no signs of life and covered by a blanket,” said Mr Jaravaza.
The following day, two witnesses reportedly filed a report at ZRP Beitbridge Rural, prompting police to attend the scene. With the assistance of villagers, police transported Titus’ body to Beitbridge District Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
The second accused was arrested on March 28, while the first accused was apprehended on May 7. The knife allegedly used to stab the now-deceased was recovered from the first accused at the time of his arrest.
