Vusumuzi Dube
Wilbrought Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter
A 29-YEAR-OLD man from Insuza, Matabeleland North province was recently sentenced to six years in prison after he gouged off the eye of a fellow villagers who reprimanded him to monitor his cattle before they destroy the complainant’s crops in the field.
Dumisani Zondo (29) appeared before magistrate Mr Elisha Singano at the Bulawayo regional court facing a charge of attempted murder as defined in Section 189 as read with Section 47 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9.23.
He was sentenced to six years in prison, with two years suspended on condition of good behaviour, meaning he will serve an effective four years in jail.
According to the state case as presented by prosecutor Mrs Nomthandazo Mafu, on 17 February 2023, Zondo was with Lucky Msebele, who is the complainant, on their way home from the shops.
Msebele, after noticing that Zondo’s cattle were near his field, warned him to monitor them before they enter the field and destroy the crops.
After the confrontation, Zondo took an axe and hit the complainant twice on the top of his left eye until his eye popped off.
On realising that he had committed a crime, Zondo fled from the scene leaving the complainant on the ground bleeding.
The complainant was taken to the hospital where his eye was examined and it was deduced that his eye was critically damaged.
Zondo was then reported to the police leading to his arrest.
Online Reporter