A 58-YEAR-OLD Mbembesi man was arrested last week after he allegedly murdered his son-in-law during a dispute over a herd of cattle.
Report by Pamela Mhlanga
Matabeleland North provincial acting police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Eglon Nkala yesterday confirmed the incident that occurred in the evening of June 13 around 8pm along a path near stand number 18 at Village 4 Battlefields in Mbembesi.
Nkala told Southern Eye that on the day of the incident, the accused, Mandlenkosi Innocent Masiza (58) of stand 27 Village 4 under Chief Mtshane in Mbembesi, had discovered a herd of cattle grazing maize in his granary in the homestead.
“The herd of cattle belonged to the accused’s son-in-law, the now deceased — identified as Artwell Ncube (59) of his own homestead in the same area under Chief Mtshane,” he said.
Nkala said the development angered Masiza who reacted by driving the now deceased’s cattle away from his homestead to an unknown area. “Along the way while he was driving the cattle from the homestead, Masiza met the now deceased who asked him the reason why he was driving his cattle away,” the police spokesman said.
Nkala said the question further angered Masiza and a misunderstanding arose between the two, which resulted in the accused striking the now deceased all over the body using a log, leading to Ncube’s death.
“The accused struck the now deceased once on the collarbone, once on the cheek and once on the right ear before Ncube fell down and died on the spot,” he said.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
A report was made to police at Mbembesi and the Criminal Investigation Department in Bulawayo attended the scene and the accused was arrested.
The body of the deceased, which had sustained multiple head injuries, was taken to United Bulawayo Hospital mortuary in Bulawayo.
Nkala advised the public to desist from taking the law into their own hands, but to instead, seek advice from police or other relevant professionals to solve their problems.
