Online Reporter
A DOMESTIC dispute took a nasty turn when 46-year-old Benard Dube allegedly assaulted his girlfriend, Otilia Chirimambowa (39), because she had failed to cook his favourite meal — isitshwala/sadza.
The incident occurred at their homestead at 8pm, when Dube, reportedly armed with a shovel, confronted Chirimambowa.
The Cameroon Primary School teacher admitted in court that she had been drinking beer and had not prepared the meal.
Prosecutor Joseph Rugara informed Tredgold magistrate Maxwell Ncube that Dube allegedly used a shovel to beat up Chirimambowa.
“I was tipsy, so the details are blurry, but I definitely remember the shovel doing most of the talking,” Chirimambowa told the court.
A medical report confirmed she sustained bruises and swelling.
Dube pleaded guilty to assault and is currently in remand awaiting sentencing.
The court heard that the couple’s two-and-a-half-year relationship, which had reportedly weathered various challenges, unravelled over the unprepared meal. — Bulawayo Bureau
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Farm worker jailed for poisoning colleagues, killing dogs
A Chechire Farm worker, Robert Muleya (44), has been sentenced to an effective five years in prison for attempting to murder two colleagues by lacing their food with poison.
The incident claimed the lives of two dogs that consumed poisoned vomit.
Muleya, originally from Binga, was handed a seven-year sentence by Bulawayo magistrate Dambudzo Malunga after he was convicted of two counts of attempted murder.
Two years of the sentence were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
Prosecutor Owen Mugari said Muleya deliberately poisoned food intended for Sydney Sibanda and Jonathan Tshuma on December 3, 2024 at Chechire Farm in Nyamandlovu, with a clear intention to kill them.
A fellow worker, Bongani Tshuma, testified that he tried to stop Muleya from going ahead with his plot the night before the incident.
“He told me he wanted them dead. When I warned him, he just said, ‘Some will ingest poison and die like dogs,’” Tshuma told the court.
Muleya reportedly used poison found in a discarded five-litre container from the fields.
On the night of the incident, workers had slaughtered a cow.
As meat was served, Sibanda and Tshuma raised the alarm over the strange taste in their portions.
Within minutes, they became seriously ill.
They started vomiting and had severe stomach cramps.
Two dogs that consumed the poisoned vomit later died.
The victims were rushed to St James Hospital and then transferred to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo for further treatment.
Magistrate Malunga concluded that Muleya had access to the victims’ food and that no one else who ate the same meat fell ill, indicating “targeted poisoning”.
Muleya will now have time to reflect on his “toxic actions” behind bars. — Bulawayo Bureau
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Body with stab wounds found in Pelandaba cemetery
Pelandaba Cemetery became a grim crime scene on the morning of June 27 when the lifeless body of 39-year-old Isa Yadini of Pumula East was discovered among the tombstones.
Yadini sustained multiple stab wounds.
The gruesome discovery was made around 8am.
A police report was made and investigations are underway. Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele confirmed the incident.
“This was not a natural death. The deceased had several stab wounds. We urge the public to assist us in bringing those responsible to justice,” he said.
Police are appealing to anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of the killer or killers to come forward. — B-Metro
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Imbiber fatally stabbed in beer brawl
A disagreement over beer turned deadly at Nyika Secondary School Grounds in Mhondoro-Ngezi when Mugove Katsande was fatally stabbed in the chest.
The tragic incident occurred on June 27, 2025.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) confirmed on X the arrest of Tinashe Chamunorwa (37) in connection with the murder.
According to police, Chamunorwa allegedly snatched Katsande’s beer and poured it onto the ground, leading to a heated argument.
Chamunorwa is accused of pulling out a Columbia knife and stabbing Katsande in the chest, killing him instantly.
Police have also launched a manhunt for Vengai Chihiya, who is believed to have been involved in the incident.
The ZRP urges anyone with information on Chihiya’s whereabouts to report to their nearest police station.
The community is reportedly still in shock following the incident, which transformed a social gathering into a crime scene. — Mashonaland West Bureau
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Thief trapped in ceiling by alert security guard
A 24-year-old man, identified only as Raymond from Mpata, found himself in a humiliating predicament after a botched break-in at a mobile phone shop on June 20.
A quick-thinking security guard thwarted his escape, leaving him trapped in the ceiling in Chinhoyi.
Raymond used a ladder to access the roof. He then entered through the ceiling, deactivated the alarm and stole US$7 871 from a cash box.
However, as he prepared to escape, a vigilant security guard, alerted by suspicious noises, removed the ladder, effectively trapping Raymond in the ceiling.
With no escape route and the shop surrounded, the thief was apprehended.
Raymond has since been sentenced to 36 months in prison, of which six months were suspended. — B-Metro
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter