Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu [email protected]
THREE men have been arrested for allegedly killing their neighbour after accusing him of stealing a bicycle. Meluleki Dube (28), Smart Ncube (29) and Nkululeko Moyo (31) were not asked to plead when they appeared briefly before Gwanda magistrate Mr Progress Murandu facing a murder charge.
They were remanded in custody to 28 November and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
Prosecuting, Mr Ngonidzashe Shumba said the accused persons attacked the now deceased, Norman Sibanda, on 10 September at around 9PM while at Mpumelelo Business Centre in Filabusi.
“The accused persons were drinking beer at Sihlangu Business Centre at around 8PM and the now deceased was also in the same area. A few minutes later the now deceased left and someone who was at the business centre reported that his bicycle, which had been parked outside, was missing. Dube, who is one of the accused persons, indicated that he suspected the now deceased of stealing the bicycle as he had left just before the bicycle went missing,” he said.
Mr Shumba said the now deceased later returned to the business centre at around 9PM and the accused persons confronted him and accused him of stealing the bicycle.
He said Sibanda denied taking the bicycle. The accused persons then ganged up on him and started assaulting him. Other villagers who were at the business centre intervened and stopped the assault. They advised the now deceased to leave in order to avoid further altercations.
“The now deceased left the business centre headed for his home and the accused persons followed him. When Sibanda was about to reach his home the accused persons ganged up on him and assaulted him with bricks and logs. The now deceased called out for help and he was heard by some villagers.
“The villagers came out to see what was happening. The accused persons fled from the scene. Sibanda was ferried to the nearest health facility where he was declared dead upon arrival. The matter was reported to the police who conducted investigations leading to the arrest of the accused persons,” said Mr Shumba.
-@DubeMatutu
