adminElizabeth Tsuro Midlands Reporter
A TEENAGER from Gweru who allegedly killed his mother by stabbing her five times with a kitchen knife, appeared in court yesterday. Kudakwashe Ashley Sibanda, 19, of Southdowns suburb, allegedly stole his mother’s car and killed a pedestrian in a hit and run accident in Norton. A court heard how he went on a three-day drinking spree while his mother’s body lay in the house.
Sibanda was not charged when he appeared briefly before Gweru Magistrate Judith Taruvinga. Taruvinga ordered him to come to court today after the police applied for a further extension of his detention to wind up investigations. Clad in a white T-shirt and grey tracksuit bottoms, Sibanda, who was in leg irons and handcuffs, appeared composed.
“Constitutionally, the police are only allowed to detain a suspect for 48 hours and after that the suspect is expected to appear in court. However, the police have applied to get an extra 24 hours of your detention and I’ve granted them the extension. You will formally appear in court tomorrow (today),” said Taruvinga.
Prosecuting, Daniel Tafuma told the court that the teenager was arrested in Harare and was brought to Gweru on Monday where he was detained at Gweru Central Police station.
Sibanda allegedly killed his mother, Barbra Sibanda, on Thursday last week by stabbing her five times with a kitchen knife. He then locked the house and fled to Harare. The matter came to light when a suspicious neighbour called the police who discovered the body in a congealed pool of blood on Saturday.
Police launched an investigation and were tipped that the suspect had been spotted in Mbare. He was later arrested at Stoddart Police Station.
derick.khumalo