adminPlaxcedes Hove Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO man who allegedly murdered a man by splitting his skull open with a shifting spanner after finding him with his ex-wife was indicted to appear at the High Court on November 6 for commencement of trial. Arthur Sibanda, 36, appeared before Western Commonage provincial magistrate Willard Maphios Moyo facing a murder charge. Prosecuting, Kingstone Mkanganwi said Sibanda murdered Elvis Dube, 35, after he found him with his ex-wife.
“Sibanda murdered Dube using a shifting spanner after he found him with his ex-wife Felistus Ngwenya, 33, in Entumbane,” he said.
The court heard that on April 3, at around 7PM in Entumbane suburb, Sibanda had an altercation with Dube over Ngwenya.
The altercation degenerated into a fight with Sibanda pursuing Dube while carrying a shifting spanner. Sibanda then caught up with Dube and proceeded to assault him all over the body including the head with the spanner.
Dube sustained injuries which resulted in his death at Mpilo Hospital on the same day.
The postmortem revealed that Dube died as a result of brain haemorrhage, skull fractures and head injuries.
Sibanda pleaded not guilty and told the court he assaulted Dube in self-defence.
He had initially pleaded guilty but the charge was altered when he cited self-defence.
“I admit that we were fighting and I overpowered him. The cause of the matter is that he was in love with my wife since 2012 until I caught them together.
“Dube was sending my wife airtime and when I asked her about it she would say she was friends with Dube and they were just sorting out some things. I admit to the charge but I was defending myself,” said Sibanda in his defence.
Online Reporter