A man from Mazwi village, on the outskirts of Bulawayo, who teamed up with his friend to assault a local villager has been arraigned before the courts facing a murder charge.
Ozeas Luphahla (25) through lawyer, Tinashe Runganga of Tanaka Law Chambers, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Western Commonage magistrate Adelaide Mbeure ordered that Luphahla pays ZWL$2000 bail.
“You are ordered to deposit a sum of ZWL$2000 as bail to the clerk of court. You shall report twice a week to Pumula police station on Monday and on Friday until the finalisation of this matter. This court also orders you not to interfere with State witnesses,” ruled magistrate Mbeure.
According to the state`s case, Luphahla was drinking beer with his friend who was not named in court and the deceased Tapiwa Jongwe, when an altercation ensued.
Luphahla`s friend then assaulted Jongwe who sustained serious injuries.
State representative Sithembiso Moyo told the court that Luphahla found Jongwe already lying on the ground wounded and he pulled him by his belt and threw him back on the ground.
“On October 5, in Mazwi Village, Luphahla unlawfully caused the death of Jongwe by lifting the belt and threw him on the ground intending to kill him. He found Jongwe, who had already sustained severe injuries from initial assaults by Luphahla’s assailant who is on the run. He lifted him up by the belt and threw him on the ground,” Moyo said.
She said Jongwe’s wife saw Luphahla assaulting her husband and she made a report to the police leading to his arrest.
