Pair up for assault

TWO Bulawayo men have each been sentenced to an effective four years in prison after a violent assault in which they repeatedly punched and kicked a man, leaving him with life-threatening injuries.
Melusi Mlalazi (27), of Emakhandeni, and Province Dube (38), of Pumula Old, were convicted of attempted murder by Western Commonage regional magistrate Mr Pasipanodya Maturure.
The pair initially received six-year jail terms each, before two years were suspended for five years on condition that they do not commit a similar offence during that period. They will each serve an effective four-year sentence.
In their defence, the accused claimed that the complainant was the aggressor and that they acted in self-defence after he allegedly threw the first punch.
However, in passing sentence Mr Maturure said that even if the court accepted that the complainant initiated the confrontation, the retaliation by the two men was excessive and unlawful.
“Once the complainant was on the ground, any threat had been neutralised, but the accused persons continued kicking him, thereby exceeding the bounds of lawful defence,” said the magistrate.
Prosecutor Ms Melissa Dube told the court that the complainant, Noel Chimanyi, previously worked with the two accused men and knew them well. The court heard that on February 9, 2026, at around 10pm, Chimanyi and the two accused were at the intersection of Hyde Park Road and Nketa Drive near Unathi Filling Station when a misunderstanding broke out.

During the altercation, the two men allegedly punched Chimanyi several times all over his body before he fell to the ground. They then repeatedly kicked him with booted feet before leaving him lying helpless on the roadside.
Chimanyi sustained serious injuries to his face and head and was referred to hospital for medical treatment.
A police report was subsequently filed, leading to the arrest of the two accused, Ms Dube said.