Online Reporter
Fairness Moyana
BINGA erupted in shock and disbelief when Samson Siazuza, 46, allegedly turned a love triangle into a nightmare that left former Minister Joel Gabbuza permanently blind in one eye. Hwange Regional Court sentenced Siazuza to four years behind bars after convicting him of attempted murder, with two years conditionally suspended.
The drama began on 5 June when Gabbuza (58) offered a ride to Siazuza’s estranged wife, Rumbidzai Munsaka, from Kamativi Business Centre to her mother’s homestead in Siamwaka Village. Siazuza, reportedly consumed by jealousy, stormed the homestead with a relative who remains at large, dragging Gabbuza from his car before unleashing a brutal assault.
Court documents reveal that Siazuza stabbed Gabbuza in the right eye with a homemade knife while his accomplice struck him on the head with a log. The pair allegedly took turns assaulting the politician with knives and logs, leaving him unconscious, bleeding, and permanently blinded in one eye.
Munsaka, who had long separated from Siazuza and remarried, fled the house in terror after hearing Gabbuza’s screams. Her cries for help raised the alarm, bringing police to the scene and ending the horrific attack. Gabbuza was rushed to Hwange Colliery Hospital and later airlifted to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo for specialist treatment.
Siazuza tried to argue in court that he acted in self-defence, claiming he stabbed Gabbuza only three times. Medical evidence shattered his story, showing multiple stab wounds far beyond his claim. Police recovered the homemade knife and logs used in the attack, which were presented as exhibits during the trial.
Gabbuza served as Minister of Water Resources Development and Management in the 2009-2013 Government of National Unity and represented Binga South in Parliament for over two decades before his recall in 2023. Now, he faces a long road to recovery from deep head injuries, nerve damage, and the permanent loss of sight in one eye.
