adminWalter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
A CHIVI woman lost three front teeth and received five stitches on the mouth after being struck by a neighbour with a catapult following a dispute over herding cattle. Ms Farisai Hova (28), of Penemene Village under Headman Madamombe, was briefly admitted at Chibi Mission Hospital where she got five stitches on her lower lip after sustaining serious injuries from the assault.
Acting Masvingo police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nkululeko Nduna could neither confirm nor deny the incident which occurred on Tuesday at around 4pm.
However, village head Isaiah Penemene confirmed the incident.
“I confirm receiving a report to that effect. The suspect, Simeon Mapasure is neighbour to this woman and he disappeared after committing the crime but was later arrested by police at Mashava Police station,” said village head Penemene. He said Mapasure arrived home and found his wife, only identified as Anywhere, not home and after asking about her whereabouts he was told that she had gone to fetch Hova’s cattle.
Penemene said Mapasure’s mother, Otina, had instructed Anywhere to herd both her cattle and Hova’s, since it was her family’s turn.
“The two families had duties of herding each other’s cattle and on the fateful day Anywhere had gone with the cattle at the request of her mother-in-law, Ms Otina Mapasure. “However, Simeon Mapasure was not amused and confronted Ms Hova over the issue after which a dispute arose leading to the attack,” the village head said.
In an interview, Ms Hova said: “I told him that I would also not herd theirs in return and this could have incensed him. Without due warning he struck me with a catapult that he was holding and I fell unconscious for a while.”
She said she was rushed to hospital by the village head and other villagers who arrived at the scene a few minutes after the incident.
A report was then made at Mashava Police Station.
Online Reporter