adminNoleen Makhurane Court Reporter
A MAN who was part of six neighbourhood watch committee (NWC) members in Bulawayo’s Paddonhurst suburb that allegedly killed a man in 2009, has appeared in court facing a murder charge. Innocent Malandu, 45, was allegedly part of a crew that formed a NWC gang that took it upon itself to patrol Paddonhurst and rid it of crime.
Bulawayo magistrate Tinashe Tashaya on Thursday remanded Malandu in custody to July 19 when his trial is expected to kick off at the High Court. Prosecuting Denmore Kasenza said on November 3, 2009, at around 2AM at a bushy area in Paddonhurst, Malandu and his accomplices, who are still at large, met the now-deceased Morris Mthombeni, 30. The court heard the crew suspected he was a criminal because he was a stranger in their area. “The members of the neighbourhood watch took turns to assault Mthombeni.
“They slapped him, kicked him and whipped him all over his body,” said Kasenza.
The prosecutor said Mthombeni sustained injuries that caused his death. “There are witnesses to the crime and the whip used to assault Mthombeni was recovered as evidence,” said Kasenza.
derick.khumalo