Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A VIOLENT confrontation sparked by a romantic rivalry spiralled out of control in Penhalonga’s illicit mining hub of Mbare on Monday afternoon, leaving a 28-year-old man seriously injured, and a Toyota Runx reduced to a shell.
Witnesses interviewed on Tuesday said the feud began over a disputed girlfriend, and culminated in a brutal attack on Welson Chapeyama, of Dangamvura.
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the incident, and said six men, aboard a white Toyota Runx, ambushed Chapeyama and attacked him with knives, screwdrivers, an iron bar, and logs before one of them stabbed him in the stomach and neck.
“We are investigating a case of attempted murder as defined in Section 189 as read with Section 47(1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, (Chapter 9:23), which occurred at Redwing Mine, Penhalonga, on August 25. The accused, Moses Mugejo (19), together with five others still at large, attacked the complainant, Welson Chapeyama (28), over a previous dispute linked to a girlfriend. After stabbing him, they fled from the scene, but were pursued by members of the public, who apprehended Mugejo. He is now in police custody, while the complainant is admitted at Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital, in a stable condition,” he said.
Assistant Inspector Chinyoka said the confrontation occurred when Chapeyama encountered the six men at Mbare, where they confronted him about a previous altercation in Dangamvura.
Mugejo allegedly accused Chapeyama of disrespect and invoked the previous girlfriend dispute.
Chapeyama is currently admitted at Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital, battling for his life, while one of the suspects, Mugejo from Zaka, Masvingo, is in police custody after being apprehended by irate residents and miners, who meted out instant mob justice.
His five accomplices remain at large, and have been declared fugitives from justice.
“Doctors confirmed that he suffered a deep cut on the neck, chest trauma, and a stomach stab wound. He remains under close observation,” said Assistant Inspector Chinyoka.
When The Weekender crew visited the scene on Tuesday, the shell of the Runx remained – a mangled reminder of a feud that had spiralled into violent confrontation.
The Toyota Runx was reduced to a charred, twisted metal shell after furious illegal miners and members of the public from the Old West community joined forces to set it ablaze.
The act of arson occurred after police had taken the suspect into custody. The shell now rests amidst the ashes.
A vendor, Tracey Madare, who sells her wares at the vibrant Mbare market, recounted the dramatic events with horror in an interview.
“I witnessed the whole incident. Around 4pm, I saw Chapeyama running in-front of a speeding white Runx that was chasing him. They caught him just near my stall. I saw them dragging and striking him indiscriminately. They had screwdrivers and benches which they were used to attack him. One of them withdrew a knife and stabbed him on the stomach. It was a brutal stab. People were screaming,” she said, pointing to a blood-stained patch on the ground.
She said after failing to stab him with a screwdriver, two of the accused men jumped out of the Runx wielding knives, while others joined in attacking him with an iron bar and log.
“They cornered him, stabbed him on the collarbone, hit him on the chest with an iron bar, then struck his leg with a log. He collapsed on the ground, bleeding,” she said.
At the scene of the attack, Chapeyama’s clothes lay scattered, and the ground was muddy and stained with his blood, which had been partially washed away by fellow gold panners.
Another witness, Winfilda Nedombwe, recounted how the assailants abandoned their vehicle when residents gave chase.
“They thought they could flee after stabbing the victim, but by the time they reached the Redwing Mine boom gate, people were shouting behind them, saying they had killed someone. Another car gave chase. They panicked, jumped out and fled into the mountains. That is when the crowd caught up with one of them,” she said.
That individual was Mugejo, whom residents claimed was attempting to sneak past homesteads.
Sean Mupamhanga, an Old West resident, corroborated this account:
“He ran past our house, but we managed to block him. The crowd was furious, and they began beating him before the police arrived.
He owes his life to the police – otherwise, the mob would have killed him.”
Another resident, Shylet Nedombwe, expressed disbelief over the incident.
“It still feels surreal,” she said, shaking her head in disbelief during the interview.
