Online Reporter
Kimberley Chitambara,[email protected]
A 22-YEAR-OLD gold panner was jailed for five years for attempting to kill a fellow villager in a brutal axe attack that left the victim with serious head and eye injuries.
Proud Mathe from Chief Jahana area appeared before Bulawayo Regional magistrate Lungile Ncube where he was convicted of attempted murder.
Prosecutor Jethro Mada told the court that Mathe and the complainant, Bongani Mpofu, are the same age and live in the same village but share no family ties. On 30 March 2025 at around 9PM, the two were at Claremont 26 Mine where they were involved in gold panning.
Mpofu was asleep in his room when Mathe suddenly stormed in armed with an axe.
“The accused person struck the complainant once on the head and upper part of the left eye with an axe,” said Mada.
The vicious blow left Mpofu with a deep head wound and a badly injured eye. Despite the heavy strike, he survived the attack.
A police report was made, leading to Mathe’s arrest. Mpofu was referred to hospital for medical attention and a medical report was produced in court.
