
Gibson Mhaka
“WHAT’S in a name?” they say.
Often, the names bestowed upon children by their parents cast long shadows, shaping their lives in unexpected ways. Some individuals seem to embody the very essence of their names, their destinies intertwined with the meanings behind them.
Tragically, this can manifest in both positive and negative outcomes, as certain names might inadvertently predispose individuals to particular challenges or expectations.
For example, the name Pondai, literally meaning “savagely killing or hammering someone,” manifested in a negative outcome when one Pondai Nyoni (43) from Siamputeni 2 Village under Chief Sinamagombe Lusulu area of Binga, Matabeleland North Province, allegedly brutally killed his younger brother Albert (32) with an axe.
Following a yet-to-be-established argument, Pondai allegedly struck him on the forehead with the back of the axe before dragging him out of the house.
There, he struck him once more with the back of the axe on the right ear and once on the right side of the neck with the sharp edge of the axe.
Allegations are that on 28 July around 1 am at his homestead, he had an altercation with younger brother Albert. Although the source of the argument is yet to be established, B-Metro gathered that it stemmed from a misunderstanding between Pondai’s younger brother and his wife. The brother reportedly brought his one-year-eight-month-old daughter to Pondai’s house.
It is reported that this did not go down well with Pondai, leading to an argument between the two parties. It is alleged that at the height of the argument, Pondai grabbed an axe from the now-deceased.
After disarming him, he struck him once on the forehead with the back of the axe before dragging him out of the house. He further struck him with the back of the axe once on the right ear and once on the right side of the neck with the sharp edge of the axe.
Albert reportedly died on the spot. The matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of Pondai. For the gruesome murder, Pondai has since appeared before Binga resident magistrate Victor Mpofu charged with murder.
He was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody to 14 August.