Online Reporter
B-Metro Reporter
A NIGHT of booze, brotherhood and bragging at a Zvishavane nightclub ended in bloodshed, leaving one man dead and a teenage killer locked away for two decades.
The High Court sitting in Gweru sentenced Thabani Gambiza (19) to 20 years in prison after convicting him of murder arising from a savage bottle attack that took place in the early hours of 19 August 2025.
The victim, Artwell Ncube (28), lost his life over a few dollars for alcohol.
Court evidence revealed that Gambiza and Ncube met while drinking at a popular nightclub in Zvishavane. The two bonded quickly, sharing a cigarette and a quart of beer outside the club as the night rolled on.
But the good vibes soured fast when the alcohol ran dry.
The court heard that Gambiza demanded money from Ncube to buy more beer. When the victim refused, tensions flared. Ncube tried to return inside the nightclub but was turned away by bouncers due to intoxication, a rejection that further fueled the simmering anger.
Seizing the moment, Gambiza allegedly lured the intoxicated Ncube to a dark open space outside the club, away from prying eyes.
There, violence exploded.
Gambiza struck Ncube on the right eyebrow with an empty beer bottle, shattering the glass and sending the victim crashing to the ground. As Ncube lay stunned and bleeding, an accomplice, Fungai Kuboya, joined the assault, smashing another bottle onto the back of his head.
The attackers then fled the scene, leaving Ncube unconscious, bleeding and helpless in the darkness.
Security personnel later discovered him and rushed him to Zvishavane District Hospital, where he died while receiving treatment.
Kuboya remains on the run, with police still hunting for him.
In passing sentence, the High Court stressed that alcohol-fuelled violence continues to claim innocent lives, turning minor disputes into deadly encounters.
The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) urged members of the public to respect the sanctity of human life and maintain order, warning that violence driven by alcohol and greed carries irreversible consequences.
One bottle, one demand for money and one violent decision now mean 20 years behind bars and a family left burying their son.
