Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, Victoria Falls Reporter
THE attack of former Cabinet Minister and ex-Binga South legislator Mr Gabuza Joel Gabuza has taken a dramatic twist, with chilling details emerging of how he was brutally attacked by a jealous husband who accused him of having an affair with his wife.
The alleged assailant, Samson Siazuzu (46) of Siamwaka Village in Binga, appeared before Hwange regional magistrate Ms Lindiwe Maphosa facing a charge of attempted murder as defined in terms of Section 189(1) as read with Section 47(1) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act.
His trial, however, failed to commence due to the absence of his defence counsel and a key State witness, and has been postponed to next Friday.
The prosecutor, Mr Thulani Ncube told the court that the incident occurred on 5 June when Gabuza (58) had offered a lift to Rumbidzai Munsaka, Siazuzu’s wife, from Kamativi Business Centre.
After dropping her at her mother’s homestead, the former minister parked his vehicle outside and fell asleep inside.
The State alleges that Siazuzu, accompanied by an accomplice identified as Smart Birthwell Siazuzu, who is still at large, later arrived at the homestead and found Gabuza asleep in the car.
“Upon arrival, the accused and his accomplice discovered that the complainant’s vehicle was parked at the homestead and the complainant was asleep in the car,” said Mr Ncube.
Angered by suspicions that the complainant was having an affair with his wife, the accused dragged him out of the car and, armed with a knife, stabbed him in the right eye.
The accomplice allegedly struck Gabuza on the head with a log and he collapsed. The two men allegedly then took turns assaulting him with logs and stabbing him until they noticed Munsaka returning to the homestead.
Gabuza sustained deep cuts to the head and multiple lacerations across the body before being rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo for treatment.
Police later arrested Siazuzu and recovered the knife and logs allegedly used in the attack. His accomplice is still on the run.
The charge sheet states that Siazuzu “unlawfully and intentionally attempted to cause the death of Gabuza Joel Gabuza by assaulting him with logs and stabbing him several times all over the body, intending to kill him or realising there was a real risk of death.”
Gabuza, a senior opposition politician, once served as Minister of Water Resources and Development during the Government of National Unity and represented Binga
South as a legislator under the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
