Fairness Moyana in Hwange
A 50-YEAR-OLD visually impaired man who was recently handed a wholly suspended three-year prison sentence for culpable homicide died last week shortly after arriving at an old people’s home in Victoria Falls.
Samson Mbambo reportedly collapsed and died while disembarking from a Department of Social Welfare vehicle at the institution, where he had been taken after efforts to reunite him with his family allegedly failed.
The cause of his death has not yet been established.
Mbambo had been convicted by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Bongani Ndlovu, who was sitting on circuit in Hwange, for causing the death of his 43-year-old nephew, Mpilwenhle Randy Hadebe, following an assault at their homestead in Badala Village 2, under Chief Mtshane Khumalo in Inyathi, Matabeleland North.
Justice Ndlovu sentenced him to three years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years on condition that he did not commit a similar offence during that period.
Following his release, authorities reportedly made efforts to reunite Mbambo with his relatives, but they allegedly refused to take him back. He was subsequently taken to the Victoria Falls Old People’s Home, where he died shortly after arrival.
Court records show that the incident which led to Mbambo’s conviction occurred on December 28 last year.
The court heard that Hadebe had been making noise at their homestead, prompting Mbambo to ask whether he was still taking his psychiatric medication. Hadebe reportedly told him that he had stopped taking the medication.
At around 10pm, Mbambo went to his nephew’s room to reprimand him, but the situation escalated when Hadebe allegedly became violent and grabbed him by the collar.
Mbambo then struck Hadebe several times on the head and body with a bamboo walking stick before returning to his bedroom to sleep. The following day, Hadebe was found injured at a local business centre and was taken to hospital by neighbours. He died two days later from injuries sustained during the assault.
A post-mortem examination conducted at United Bulawayo Hospitals established the cause of death as brain injury, head trauma and assault.
During the court proceedings, Mbambo admitted assaulting his nephew but denied intending to kill him or appreciating that his actions carried a real risk of causing death.
The State accepted his plea to the lesser charge of culpable homicide, agreeing with the defence that he had been negligent in the manner in which he assaulted Hadebe.
The State was represented by Mrs Martha Cheda, while Mbambo was represented by Mr Danai Chigowe of Mashindi and Associates Legal Practitioners.
