A 30-year-old man from Lupote, Dete, in Matabeleland North is in critical condition at Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo after being stabbed while attempting to protect his nephew.
Hloniphani Nyoni, now in the Intensive Care Unit, sustained life-threatening injuries, including protruding intestines, during the incident on November 16, 2024, at Lupote shopping centre.
The suspect, identified as Welcome โSbhuraโ Sibanda, is on the run.
According to Nyoniโs aunt, Salas Chuma, the altercation began when Nyoni tried to stop a group from attacking his nephew.
โBoys were bullying his nephew, and Hloniphani tried to intervene. During the chaos, Sibanda stabbed him, leaving his intestines exposed. His nephew even tried to place them back in his stomach,โ Chuma recounted.
Chuma added that Sibanda continued his attacks, even stabbing another man, Malaba, who tried to assist Nyoni. Malaba is currently hospitalised in Hwange.
Hwange District Residents Association deputy chairperson, Ponny Mwembe, criticised the policeโs slow response.
โDespite the matter being reported, there was no urgency in apprehending Sibanda. He remains at large, reportedly hiding in the bush during the day and visiting homesteads at night,โ Mwembe said.
Mwembe urged the police to act swiftly, deploying search teams and working with the community to ensure safety.
โWe want Lupote to be a crime-free zone, especially as we approach the festive season. The police need to increase awareness campaigns and patrols,โ he emphasized.
Nyoni was initially treated at St. Patrickโs Hospital in Hwange before being transferred to Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo due to the severity of his condition.
Efforts to locate Sibanda are ongoing.
Matabeleland North acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Namatirai Mashona said she was not in the office when contacted for a comment.
