Vusumuzi Dube
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
NINE villagers including two juveniles from Kezi, Matabeleland South Province have appeared in court for allegedly fatally meting out mob justice on a gun-toting robber who had terrorised the community.
The nine, mostly youthful suspects — Thamsanqa Nyathi (22), Perfect Nyoni (22), the two 17-year-old juveniles (who cannot be named for ethical reasons), Godwill Dube (21) and Lodrick Dube (24) all of Malindi village as well as Mkhululi Ncube (36), Prince Khumalo (33) and Makesure Mguni (33) of Mankala village appeared before Kezi resident magistrate Mr Busani Sibanda.
They were remanded in custody to 4 October.
Initially, police had arrested 30 villagers but further investigations led to the release of 21 and the pinning down of the nine. The nine were charged with the murder of Hloniphani Ndlovu (45) who is suspected to have been terrorising villagers using an Escort Mossberg rifle.
Allegations are that on 18 September 2023 at around 2am, the now deceased, Ndlovu of Benjamin Ndlovu’s homestead at Mahetshe village under Chief Fuyane in Kezi proceeded to Cde Lazarus Ncube (64)’s homestead armed with the Escort Mossberg rifle.
The State further alleges that Cde Lazarus Ncube, a war veteran heard his dogs barking at Ndlovu and woke up. Ndlovu, however, proceeded to Cde Ncube’s bedroom window and broke the windowpane.
He then threatened to kill Cde Ncube demanding money while pointing the firearm at him even firing a shot into the roof.
He then broke the spare bedroom windowpane and the dining room windowpane and gained entry into the spare bedroom through the window. While inside the house, he proceeded to the dining room and pointed the firearm on Mrs Caroline Ncube (56), the wife of Cde Lazarus Ncube threatening to kill her at the same time demanding cash.
Lazarus, the court heard, was now hiding in the bedroom. The State further alleged that Ndlovu let go of Caroline, went outside and fired one shot into the air and went away.
It is the State case that from Ncube’s homestead, Ndlovu proceeded to Witness Mlilo’s homestead where he broke a bedroom windowpane awakening Attalia Gumbo (46). Ndlovu is said to have lit his torch and showed Gumbo the firearm threatening to shoot her while demanding cash.
Gumbo, the court was told managed to escape from the house through the dining room door and ran to her neighbour. Ndlovu shot once into the air, entered into the house and ransacked it looking for the valuables.
The court heard that he took US$10, ZAR100 and a small black bag containing clothes and went away.
His first victim Cde Lazarus Ncube mobilised villagers and teamed up to pursue Ndlovu. They were following his footprints.
They followed the footprints from Malindi Village to Antelope Dam near Maphisa Growth Point and caught up with him in a bush area. The villagers assaulted him with fists, open hands, sticks, logs and knobkerries and he led them to where he had hidden the Escort Mossberg rifle loaded with two 12-bore calibre rounds.
The villagers searched him and recovered US$10, ZAR100 and a small black bag stolen from Witness Mlilo’s homestead.
The accused persons then took Ndlovu to Maphisa Police Post where he was issued with a ZRP form 234 and referred to Maphisa District Hospital for medical treatment but he died on arrival at the hospital before he was attended to by the doctor.
The nine villagers are represented by Mr Prince Butshe of Mathonsi Law Chambers while Ms Mufaro Ndiraire stood in for the State. — @nyeve14
Online Reporter