Five men violently beat up their brother-in-law after a misunderstanding on Christmas Day last year at Masunduza Village in Gwelutshena, Nkayi and then fled, leaving him unconscious in a bush.
Before beating him unconscious, the victim had managed to run away from them but the five ‘hounded’ him out from where he was hiding in a bush.
The five suspects used knobkerries, axes to assault him and further stabbed him with their knives, leaving him for dead.
The victim regained consciousness the next day and managed to seek assistance from a Good Samaritan who took him to hospital.
He died upon admission at Gokwe District Hospital.
Matabeleland North Provincial Police Spokesperson, Inspector Glory Banda, said the deceased was a male aged 39 named Ndumiso Fuzane from Rabba Village in Gwelutshena Nkayi.
“The accused are Munyaradzi Mabhena, male from Masunduza Village, Nqobile Mabhena, male from Masunduza Village, Torment with no further particulars from Masunduza Village, Promise from Masunduza Village and Tinashe from Masunduza Village in Gwelutshena,” said Banda.
Inspector Banda said on December 25, 2023 around 9am, the deceased – Fuzane went to Masunduza shops in Gwelutshena to drink beer.
“While at the shops, Fuzane met the five accused persons, who are his brothers in law and they drank beer together. On the same day around 2pm a misunderstanding arose between Fuzane and the five accused over an undisclosed issue,” said the provincial police spokesperson.
The accused four named Promise then stabbed Fuzane with a knife once on the right side of the head while accused three, Torment assaulted him several times on the face, Inspector Banda said.
“Fuzane ran away to a neighbouring bush with the intention to hide. After some few minutes, two accused, who is Nqobile Mabhena saw him and advised the other accused persons who came and attacked him,” said Inspector Banda.
Fuzane tried to escape but the five accused persons chased and caught up with him.
“They assaulted Fuzane several times with knobkerries, axes and knives on the head. They assaulted him on his head, right thigh and back,” said Inspector Banda.
As a result, Fuzane sustained deep cuts on the head, right thigh and back.
“The accused person fled from the scene leaving Fuzane lying unconscious on the bush,” said the provincial police spokesperson.
“On December 26, 2023, around 9am Fuzane gained consciousness and sought help from one villager (name withheld to protect him) who then ferried him to Gokwe District Hospital for treatment.”
However, around 1130am, Fuzane was pronounced dead upon admission at the hospital.
“Investigations are still in progress,” said Inspector Banda, noting that Fuzane’s body was taken to Gokwe District Hospital mortuary and then sent to the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) for a postmortem.
The five accused are still at large and police are appealing with members of the public to assist with information regarding their whereabouts.
“Justice has to take its course,” said Inspector Banda.
