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Cynthia Dube, Court Reporter
A MAN from Emakhandeni suburb in Bulawayo allegedly fatally struck his friend on the head with a pool stick during a fight over whisky diluted with an energy drink.
Mncedisi Nkala (23) struck Mgcini Ncube with the stick after he refused to give him a chance to sip the beverage while they were at Siphilanzima bar in Douglasdale suburb.
A court heard that Ncube sustained internal head injuries and was rushed to the United Bulawayo Hospitals where he died after having been admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for five days.
Nkala appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya on Thursday facing a murder charge.
He was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody to February 7.
Nkala was shocked to hear that his friend had died because when he was arrested he was facing attempted murder charges.The charges were altered to murder following Ncube’s death.
Prosecuting, Mr Nkathazo Dlodlo said on December 30 at around 6PM, Nkala and Ncube were drinking beer at a bar and misunderstanding arose between them.
“A misunderstanding started when Nkala tried to take a dragon energy drink that was diluted with whisky from Ncube. The beer spilled over Ncube’s body as they wrestled with the Dragon can,” he said.
“The deceased became angry and fought with Nkala. They stopped fighting for a short period of time. After that Nkala took a pool stick which was measuring 141,5cm weighing 0,510kg which was on top of a snooker table and struck Ncube three times on the head,” said Mr Dlodlo.
He said Ncube fell down unconscious and was rushed to the UBH where he was admitted in the ICU.“On January 4 at around 12AM, Ncube died. Doctors conducted a post-mortem on January 6 and discovered that Ncube’s death was as a result of internal head injuries,” Mr Dlodlo said.
He said the post-mortem report and the pool stick will be produced in court as evidence.
– @cynthiamthembo1.
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