Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku [email protected]
A MAN who allegedly killed his younger brother who accused him of being lazy and reluctant to help support their elderly mother, has appeared in court.
Thembelani Dlamini (45) of Fort Rixon in Matabeleland South Province appeared before Bulawayo senior regional magistrate, Mr Mark Dzira, charged with culpable homicide. He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and was represented by his lawyer, Dr Tanaka Muganyi of Tanaka Law Chambers.
“The deceased (Lungani Dlamini) was the aggressor. He came home drunk and met the accused at their mother’s homestead. He started to accuse his brother of being lazy and reluctant to help support their elderly mother. The deceased was armed with a hoe and wanted to strike the accused,” said Dr Muganyi.
“He attempted to strike the accused twice, but the accused blocked with his arms and sustained injuries to his right arm. The accused took to his heels while the deceased pursued him with the intention of killing him.
“Fortunately, he managed to disarm the deceased, but the deceased would not relent, and in a bid to stop him, he then struck him on the leg with the hoe,” he stated.
Dr Muganyi said the intention was not to kill him but to apply minimum force to incapacitate him.
He said the deceased was under the influence of alcohol and was very aggressive.
“The accused, seeing that he was under attack, had to act in self-defence,” said Dr Muganyi. The matter was postponed to 13 August.
Prosecuting, Mr Jethro Mada said the deceased and the accused were brothers.
“On 7 June 2025 at around 3PM, the accused and the deceased went to their mother Lina Dlamini’s homestead in the same village for their supper.
“They sat in the dining room where an argument ensued, with the deceased stating that the accused was lazy and was not assisting him to support their mother. “The argument escalated into a fight and they ran out of the dining room, chasing each other into the darkness. During the commotion, the accused armed himself with a hoe,” said Mr Mada.
The court heard that the accused struck the deceased with a hoe once on his right calf and left him lying on the ground bleeding.
The accused rushed to inform his mother and his neighbour that he had injured the deceased during the fight. The accused looked for transport to ferry the deceased to hospital.
Mr Mada told the court that the accused’s mother rushed to the scene of the crime and found the deceased still alive and bleeding but unable to talk.
She went to seek assistance from other villagers and when she returned, he was dead.
Bongani Ndlovu