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Auxilia Katongomara Chronicle Reporter
A TURF war between boys from Burombo Flats and Makokoba suburb in Bulawayo led to the fatal stabbing of a man last year, one the four teenagers accused of the murder told a court yesterday.
Sandile Makhalima, 18, of Nguboyenja suburb told the court that it was not true that his hatred for his younger sister’s boyfriend and his friends had led to the death of 18-year-old Bruce Mashoko.
Giving his evidence before High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese, Makhalima who is jointly charged with three others Floyd Sibanda 18, Leveson Mlotshwa, 18, and Shelton Ndlovu, who was 17 at the time, distanced himself from the offence.
“It was around 6 to 7PM thereabout when Shelton asked me to accompany him to Makokoba where he had been sent to give his grandmother pills. On the way we met Floyd and asked him to accompany us,” said Sandile.
“On our way back we met Bruce and Bhekinkosi Sibanda who appeared from a sanitary lane and I heard Bruce saying ‘Ya Shelton sesikubambile’,” he told the court.
He said he knew that they were not in good books but did not bother himself about them.
“From their area, we weren’t in good books with one Ricky Moyo who was dating my younger sister but there were constant clashes between boys from Burombo and Makokoba.
“But for me it was Ricky in particular because he was abusing my 15-year-old sister by making her abscond lessons, she would sleep out and was a regular drinker,” narrated Sandile.
He said he panicked as he saw Shelton taking a knife from Floyd’s jacket pockets and stab Bruce on the chest.
Sandile said after the attack, he left the scene, went home and narrated the incident to his grandmother who advised him to report the matter to the police the following morning.
Sandile said police arrested them the same night.
During cross examination, Sandile said Bruce was not killed because he was friends with his sister’s lover but it was because of the rivalry between boys from the two suburbs.
He claimed that it was the deceased and his friend who provoked them, leading to the fatal attack.
The state closed its case yesterday and the matter was postponed sine die to next term as both the state and defence are yet to make their submissions.
Prosecuting, Khumbulani Ndlovu said on November 8 last year shortly after 11PM, Bruce and his friend Bhekinkosi Sibanda were on their way home from a house in their neighbourhood where they had been watching a soccer match on television.
The court heard that as they were approaching from a distance, they were spotted by the four teenagers.
When Bruce and Bhekinkosi got closer, one of the members of the gang, Leveson, advanced towards them and demanded cigarettes.
Bruce and Bhekinkosi tried to ignore Leveson but his accomplices Sandile, Floyd and Shelton blocked them from proceeding with their journey.
The group grabbed Bruce but Bhekinkosi managed to escape leaving his friend at the mercy of the gang.
The court heard that one of the four teenagers stabbed Bruce with a knife on the left side of the chest and he collapsed.
He was rushed to Mater Dei Hospital where he died on admission.
Bhekinkosi in his testimony said he alerted neighbours and led police to the teenagers’ respective houses where they were arrested.
He told the court that the gang had on two occasions tried to attack them over a girl whose brother was part of the group.
Sandile is represented by Nkosilathi Mlala, the 17-year-old teenager by Leslie Sibanda while Doreen Phulu is Floyd’s lawyer. Emmanuel Mlalazi is representing Leveson.
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