Online Reporter
Dalyn Chigwizura
WHAT started as a botched theft of scrap metal ended in blood and death, and now two Bulawayo men are facing the full wrath of the law.
Nyazika Tawanda (30) from Luveve and Glen Moto (33) of Cowdray Park stood silently in the dock at Western Commonage Court this week, accused of fatally assaulting a suspected thief after catching him red-handed at a workshop in Kelvin West.
The two, who initially faced murder charges, had their case downgraded to culpable homicide after the High Court ruled that the circumstances pointed more to excessive force than premeditated killing. However, the victim, 26-year-old Freeman Moto, is still dead and the accused are in deep trouble.
According to prosecutor Mr Tafara Dzimbanhete, on 3 July 2024 at around 5pm, on Brockel Road in Kelvin West industrial area, Moto, along with two accomplices; Brighton Tshuma and Junior Ncube allegedly broke into a storeroom after removing a Durawall panel to sneak into the premises.
Once inside, Moto helped himself to scrap metal, passing it out to his waiting crew outside. But before they could vanish with the loot, their luck ran out.
“Freeman fell while trying to climb over the perimeter wall and was immediately apprehended by the accused,” said the prosecutor. “His accomplices managed to escape.”
The two men allegedly dragged the cornered suspect into a shed inside the workshop. There, they tied his legs with an electric cable, poured water over him, and began beating him repeatedly on the buttocks using a hosepipe.
The punishment went from savage to fatal.
“During the assault, the deceased collapsed, hitting his head on the ground. He sustained severe injuries that later contributed to his death,” the court heard.
The case has since drawn sharp public reactions, with some community members saying the accused were simply protecting their property, while others insist they crossed the line and must be held accountable.
“The matter has been postponed to 26 June 2025 for remand. Both accused are expected to return to court as the state continues gathering evidence.
As Bulawayo’s crime rate and citizen frustration collide, this case could set a precedent on how far people can go when defending their turf and whether justice by hosepipe is ever justified.
Watch this space.
