Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
CHIEF Mutasa has urged communities to treat criminal matters with the seriousness they deserve and report them to the police, rather than attempting to resolve grave offences through informal agreements.
He warned that failure to do so often denies victims justice and leaves offenders unaccountable.
The traditional leader made the remarks after a Watsomba woman, Tafadzwa Mandimutsira, appeared before his court seeking compensation for her mentally challenged son, who was left blind in one eye following an assault by three men.
Mandimutsira narrated how her son was attacked at local shops earlier this month, sustaining severe injuries.
“I received a call telling me that my son was lying at the shops in pain. When I got there, I found him bleeding from the eye,” she told the court.
She alleged that one of the accused, Leonard Musapatika, approached her son armed with a knife.
“I was told Leonard said he wanted to stab my son. My son picked up a brick to defend himself, but the three of them teamed up and assaulted him,” she said.
Because of his mental condition, she explained, her son could not fully defend himself and was overpowered.
“They left him helpless and severely injured,” she added.
Mandimutsira said when she confronted the men, they apologised and begged her not to report the matter to the police, promising instead to cover all hospital bills.
“I believed them because I just wanted my son treated,” she said.
She took her son to a private clinic but was told treatment could not proceed without a police report.
“I went to the police, and they advised that since we had agreed, the men could cover the medical expenses. They were not arrested because we were in agreement,” she explained.
Initially, the three contributed US$50 each towards the medical bills, but Mandimutsira said they later stopped assisting. A medical review revealed that her son’s eye was permanently blind.
“The doctor told me nothing more could be done. It is permanent,” she said.
Attempts to engage the men after the diagnosis proved futile.
“They started hiding from me and would not meet me. That is why I came here seeking compensation,” she said.
Mandimutsa said the fight is not about money.
“My son will never see properly again. I just want justice for what was done to him,” she said.
Chief Mutasa, however, was unequivocal in his response.
“This is grievous bodily harm which resulted in a permanent injury. Such matters are criminal, and must be handled by the police and the courts, not settled privately,” he said.
He stressed that serious offences should never be reduced to financial negotiations.
“When someone loses an eye, that is not a small misunderstanding. It is a life-changing injury. The law provides procedures to determine the severity of the offence and the appropriate punishment,” he said.
The chief advised Mandimutsira to reopen the case formally.
“You need a comprehensive medical report stating the level of the injury. That report will assist the court in determining sentencing and compensation,” he said.
He warned that the accused persons may have used promises of payment to evade arrest.
“They bought time by offering to pay hospital bills so that you would not pursue the criminal route. Now they are avoiding responsibility,” he said.
Chief Mutasa further stressed the need to protect vulnerable members of society.
“A mentally challenged person deserves protection, not violence. Communities must ensure that those who cannot defend themselves are safeguarded,” he said.
He urged villagers to resist the temptation to settle serious assaults outside the justice system.
“When criminal matters are ignored or handled informally, it encourages lawlessness. Justice must be allowed to take its course,” he said.
