Beer garden ‘killer’ in court

Thubelihle Mabhena Court Reporter
A MAN who fatally stabbed his neighbour with a kitchen knife at a beer garden in Bulawayo’s Mzilikazi suburb appeared in court yesterday. Nkululeko Vuma, 37, died after he was stabbed by his neighbour Simon Ncube last Friday after he admonished him for arguing with Rita Nxumalo at Manwele beer garden. In court, it emerged that Ncube is aged 26 and not 23 as previously reported and claims that Vuma and Nxumalo were related were not raised.

Ncube was not asked to plead when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Gladmore Mushove.

He was remanded in custody to April 27, and the magistrate advised him to apply for bail at the High Court.

Prosecuting, Simbarashe Manyiwa said Ncube was drinking beer with Nxumalo at the bar when a misunderstanding arose.

“Vuma found the two arguing and he tried to resolve the dispute,” said Manyiwa.

Ncube and Vuma started fighting at the bar and when the former was overpowered he took to his heels.

“The now deceased caught up with the accused outside the beer garden. At that time, the accused drew a kitchen knife and stabbed the now deceased on the left collar bone and he fell to the ground and died. The accused ran away from the scene,” added the prosecutor.

The matter was reported to the police, leading to Ncube’s arrest and the knife was recovered by the police at his residence.

In his warned and cautioned statement, Ncube admitted that he stabbed Vuma.