Man kills drinking mate, attempts suicide

A 37-YEAR-OLD city man allegedly killed his drinking mate by banging his head three times on the floor and thereafter threatened to commit suicide by running into traffic.

The accused, Themba Masuku, of house number J72 in Njube, was found by the now deceased, Chipo Chiripanyanga (48) of J18 in Njube, inside his bedroom searching his wardrobe.

According to the State outline, Masuku and Chiripanyanga were inside the deceased's bedroom in Njube drinking strong liquor spirits in the company of their friend Mbonisi Tshuma.

The three drank for almost an hour and the accused became heavily drunk.

"The deceased then dismissed the accused but due to his inebriated state he walked for a short distance and slept under a tree inside the yard. Further, the deceased told his niece not to allow the accused inside the house," reads the State outline.

The outline added that the deceased and Tshuma left the house and proceeded to another house in the same area, to drink more beer.

"After an hour the now deceased returned to J18 Njube, to get some money and found the accused inside his bedroom searching his wardrobe.  This did not go down well with the deceased and they started fighting. In the meantime, the deceased's niece ran to call Tshuma, to inform him that the accused had stolen from the deceased," the State outline reads.

Tshuma arrived and managed to restrain Chiripanyanga and Masuku from fighting. However, the now deceased went inside the house and came out wielding an axe.

Chiripanyanga hit Masuku on the back of his head once using the blunt side of the metal axe. He hit him again on the head using the blunt side of the axe but the accused managed to grab the axe, resulting in them wrestling for it.

Tshuma grabbed the axe from both Masuku and Chiripanyanga and took it away.

"The accused then tripped the deceased down and sat on his chest while grabbing him by the throat. He smashed the deceased's head onto the ground and the deceased passed out leading to his death. Shortly afterwards myself and detective constable Thomas Mugwagwa who were on patrol were informed by members of the community that the accused had killed Chiripanyanga.

"I saw a group of people chasing the accused, and whereupon arrival I interviewed one Gift Nyamande from Pumula East who told me that they were chasing the accused whom I identified with a torn blood stained shirt in front and bleeding from his head," said Det Const Clifford Nhingo in his statement.

"I arrested the accused who was trying to commit suicide by throwing himself in front of oncoming traffic along Luveve road. I then called CID Western Commonage and ZRP Njube for assistance."

Furthermore, Const Nhingo said the accused was intoxicated and shouting that he wanted his money from the deceased.

However, in his warned and cautioned statement, Masuku vehemently denied the charge of murder alleging that the deceased fell to the ground after he snatched the axe which the deceased was using to assault him.

"Yesterday in the afternoon while drinking beer at house number J18 Njube, Chipo suggested that we go to the beer garden and buy some more beer. I refused and told him that I wanted to go and buy some relish.

"A misunderstanding ensued between me and the deceased. After the quarrel Chipo entered the house and came out wielding an axe. He then proceeded to assault me on the head. I took away his axe and he fell down on the stones on his head," said Masuku. Masuku said he only heard from the neighbours that Chiripanyanga had died.

"I heard from the neighbours that he is dead and that is all I know in connection with this case. I am not admitting to the murder charge because Chipo was drunk and he fell on the stones due to his own fault (sic)."

Masuku is expected to appear at Bulawayo High Court on 21 July.