adminMashudu Netsianda Senior Court Reporter
TWO Esigodini men teamed up with three accomplices who are still at large and allegedly stoned their neighbour to death as his son watched helplessly, a High Court judge heard yesterday.
Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Nokuthula Moyo, heard this when Nobert Nsingo, 27, and Nkosikhona Mpofu, 21, both of Mbizingwe Village under Chief Gwebu area, appeared before her in connection with the death of Solomon Ndlovu, 59, two years ago.
Prosecuting, Angeline Munyeriwa said on June 23, 2013, shortly before 8PM, Ndlovu’s son, Lancelot was sent by his mother to Mbizingwe Business Centre to collect some money from a local shop owner who owed her. The court heard that Lancelot then asked his friend, Pilate Dube to accompany him.
Soon after Lancelot was given the money, they decided to pass through Ndwangu’s bottle store where Pilate wanted to buy a cigarette. “While inside the bottle store, Lancelot had an altercation with Nsingo and Mpofu. Nsingo removed Lancelot’s cap before he slapped him on the face and kicked him on the mouth,” said Munyeriwa.
Lancelot and Pilate left the pub and went home.
When he arrived home, Lancelot discovered that the money that he was given at the business centre was missing from his pocket and he informed his father. Ndlovu, his son and Pilate proceeded to the shops intending to inquire about the missing money from the owner of the bottle store. The court heard that while the two men were still discussing the issue, Tshwapo Sibanda came out of one of the shops and pulled a catapult.
The missile slightly missed Ndlovu and hit Pilate. Sensing danger, Ndlovu, Lancelot and Pilate fled in different directions.
Ndlovu fled towards his home with Sibanda, Nsingo, Mpofu, Thembinkosi Moyo and Ndumiso Dlamini in hot pursuit.
They caught up with him and pushed him to the ground. The court heard that the gang picked stones and started hitting him as he lay helplessly on the ground. They only stopped assaulting him after he lost consciousness. Lancelot, who was watching from a distance, later came and took his father to a local clinic. He was transferred to the United Bulawayo Hospitals on the following day where he died hours later.
According to the postmortem report, head injuries, lineal skull fracture, blunt force trauma and homicide caused Ndlovu’s death. Lancelot testified in court, narrating how he witnessed his father being stoned to death by the five men.
“I saw Nsingo, Mpofu and their friends attacking my father and he was screaming as he continuously pleaded with them to spare his life. When they spotted me from a distance rushing to the scene, Mpofu shouted saying, “there is the other one” and I retreated and went to a nearby clinic where I notified a nurse about the incident,” said Lancelot.
He said Tshwapo then came to the clinic and asked for a pen from the nurse and wrote the names of those who had attacked Ndlovu. “Tshwapo, however, did not include his name on the list and claimed that he was trying to rescue my father from being attacked by his friends,” said Lancelot. “I then asked for a wheelbarrow which I used to ferry my father to the clinic.”
Pilate also took to the witness stand and his testimony corroborated Lancelot’s evidence. Nsingo, through his lawyer Solomon Mguni of Dube said he did not participate in the attack. “I didn’t attack Ndlovu but only rushed to the scene to intervene after I heard him screaming for help as he was being attacked by Moyo and Dlamini who was carrying a rock. I managed to take it away and pushed Moyo aside,” said Nsingo.
He further claimed that he assisted Ndlovu by taking him to the clinic. Mpofu, who is being represented by Stephen, also denied the charge, arguing that he restrained Moyo and Dlamini from assaulting Ndlovu. The trial continues.
Online Reporter