Online Reporter
Online Reporter
A Bulawayo man is alleged to have viciously attacked his son, leaving him with severe burn injuries to his face and hands in a disturbing case of alleged long-term domestic abuse that has shocked relatives and neighbours.
Sources close to the family identified the man as Emmanuel Abel Ndlovu and the victim as his son, Gugu Ndlovu.
According to family sources, Emmanuel had for years allegedly subjected his family to repeated violence and abuse, including allegedly assaulting the children’s mother, Phumulani Moyo, on numerous occasions.
Relatives said the abuse became so severe that Ms Moyo eventually fled the family home fearing for her life.
“After the mother left, the abuse shifted to the children. The boys lived in constant fear,” said a source close to the matter.
Sources allege that during one particularly violent incident several years ago, Gugu Ndlovu was assaulted before losing consciousness, only to later wake up in hospital.
It is alleged that during the same incident, his younger brother, Thamsanqa Ndlovu, mysteriously disappeared.
Family members claim that despite efforts to locate the younger boy, he has never been found.
“After he was discharged from hospital, Gugu tried searching for his brother everywhere. Reports were allegedly made to the police but nothing fruitful came out of it,” said another source.
Fearing for his safety, Gugu is said to have later fled to South Africa. However, relatives said he would frequently return to Zimbabwe in an attempt to continue searching for his missing younger brother.
It was during one of those visits that Emmanuel allegedly caught up with him and launched another violent attack.
Sources allege that the father assaulted Gugu before trying to burn him alive, leaving him with extensive burns to his face, forehead, cheeks and both eyelids. Both of his hands were also severely burnt, with the right hand sustaining major burns while four fingers and the knuckles on the other hand were also injured.
Family sources said the injuries were described as second-degree burns bordering on third-degree burns.
“He allegedly boasted that nobody could stop him and that he could do whatever he wanted with his own children,” claimed a source.
The incident has reportedly left relatives deeply traumatised, with growing calls for authorities to thoroughly investigate both the assault allegations and the disappearance of Thamsanqa Ndlovu.
Efforts to obtain an official comment from the police were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
