Brutal murder at Killarney informal settlement: man (20) held for fatal assault on grandpa (56)

A 56-year-old’s man’s life was brutally taken in a savage attack, he was battered and stabbed by a 20-year-old in Nkayi, Matabeleland North.

On 18 October 2024, Josephat Sibanda (56) was brutally attacked and allegedly killed by Promise Ndebele (20) while sleeping in his shack.

A neighbour was awakened by the loud crash of a door being forcibly opened.

The silence that followed was soon replaced by the sounds of a brutal beating and the neighbour, gripped by fear, waited until morning to investigate.

Upon investigation, the neighbor found the door destroyed, belongings scattered and Sibanda not there, stimulating growing concern.

He gathered residents and initiated a search which focused on the nearby bushy area surrounding Killarney Squatter camp.

Sibanda’s body was found, 40 meters from his home, bathed in blood and hidden by overgrown grass. He had a deep stab to the left shoulder, head cuts, and stomach bruises which sparked a police investigation.

Later on, Promise Ndebele was arrested in relation to the case.

In an official press statement, Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector inspector Abednico Ncube said, “On the 18th of October 2024 and at around 0300 hours the now deceased was sleeping in his shack when he was attacked by accused persons. A neighbour heard a sound of a door being damaged. He later heard noise of someone being beaten up. He did not go outside since he was afraid until at around 0600 hours, since the noise had subsided. He went outside to check what had transpired.

“He discovered that the door to Josephat Sibanda’s shack was damaged and his blankets and some of his clothes were scattered outside. He also realised that Josephat Sibanda was not in his room. He summoned other residents in the squatter camp and conducted a search but to no avail. Residents teamed up in search of the now deceased in a nearby bushy area around Killarney Squatter camp. They then noticed the now deceased lying in a pool of blood about 40 meters from his shack and was covered in tall grass. The now deceased had a deep stab wound on the left shoulder, a cut on the occiput and some bruises on the left side of the stomach. A police report was then made. The body of the now deceased was taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals for post mortem examination. Follow ups were made, leading to the arrest of Promise Ndebele at his place of residence.”