Teenager (17) to appear in court for murder

Thulani Ndlovu Court Correspondent
A 17-YEAR-OLD drunk Beitbridge teenager who killed a drinking mate in an altercation over the spilling of a glass of beer will appear at the High Court tomorrow to face a murder charge. The accused (who cannot be named because he is a minor) allegedly plunged a sharp knife into the forehead of Robert Mudhau (18) in a fight involving about 10 teenagers.

Mudhau died at Beitbridge District Hospital on 7 June 2014 after a misunderstanding resulting from spilled beer turned into a turf war between rival gangs at Dulibadzimu Township in Beitbridge.

State witnesses said the rival gangsters were watching inter-provincial school games at Chamnanga Primary School while drinking. They added that one member of the gang bumped into a member of the rival gang causing him to spill his beer.

The stabbing, which reportedly involved pupils from a local high school, occurred in full view of primary schoolchildren. According to the State outline, Onias Moyo was holding a glass of beer when he bumped into Freedom Siziba, causing the beer to spill lightly. Mpho Nyoni, who is a State witness, allegedly took the glass of beer from Moyo and spilled it.

“This did not go down well with Siziba who then returned with his friends demanding their beer. Ricado Noko then took the glass of viceroy brandy that Nyoni was drinking and poured it into their glass and the gang went away,” read part of the State outline.

Nyoni, according to the State, followed the rival gang, took a sjambok and attempted to assault them. This led to a heated dispute and the rival gangs started pushing and shoving each other until they reached a tree.

The accused, who had been watching from a distance, rushed to the scene of the fight and drew an okapi knife from his pocket and fatally stabbed Mudhau on the head before disappearing.

Investigating officer Rodwell Muchengandava said they received information that the accused was at Muchato illegal crossing point along the Limpopo River.

“Upon arrival at the illegal entry and exit point, Emmanuel Ndou, a cousin of the accused, advised us that he was in South Africa at a nearby farm where he resides with his mother. Ndou then caused the accused to cross back to Zimbabwe with his mother,” said Muchengandava.

In his defence outline, the accused through his legal practitioner, Mr Kenneth Lubimbi of Kenneth Lubimbi and Partners, accepted stabbing the now deceased once on the head with an okapi knife thereby causing his death. However, he pleaded self-defence and alleged that he did not intend to kill Mudhau.

“He did not appreciate that the stabbing would lead to the deceased’s death and regrets that he stabbed the deceased thereby causing his death. The accused was acting under the influence of alcohol,” said Mr Lubimbi.

He added that Mudhau was the first to stab the accused on his right hand middle finger leaving a permanent scar.
“The deceased also hit the accused with a bottle as the accused tried to restrain him and Mpho Nyoni from assaulting his brother,” he said.