Man brutally killed in bar exit row, axed 5 times

A MAN from Bulawayo died allegedly after his neighbour axed him five times in the head, leaving his brains splattered on the ground following a petty misunderstanding.

The two fought after the victim confronted his neighbour demanding to know why he had left him at a bar.

Tapiwanashe Mutakaya (43) died on the spot after Antony Ndlovu (34) allegedly brutally attacked him at around 9PM on Saturday at the RMS Transport Residential Quarters along Old Khami Road.

Ndlovu was arrested at the scene.

Security guards at the compound said they had to separate Ndlovu and Mutakaya after they engaged in a "fierce fist fight" at the gate.

After they went their separate ways, Mutakaya is alleged to have followed Ndlovu to his house and revived the fight.

A neighbour, Mr Mqondisi Maseko told The Chronicle Mutakaya banged on the door at Ndlovu's home and threatened to kill him in front of his wife.

"He insulted him, accusing him of being a bad friend. He said: 'I thought you were a good someone, but why did you leave me behind?' That resulted in the two men fighting again," he said.

When The Chronicle visited the scene yesterday, shell-shocked residents were still standing in groups discussing the scary incident.

Mr Lovemore Chimhene (53), Mutakaya's nephew, said his uncle died a painful death.

"I heard Ndlovu screaming. He was acting insane and shouting that he had killed someone. I was shocked to find Tapiwanashe lying on the ground with his skull split open. He had five deep cuts on the head," said Mr Chimhene.

He said his uncle must have been very drunk because security guards at the RMS premises said he was staggering as he insisted on continuing the fight with Ndlovu after they had been separated.

Mr Chimhene said the two, who were workmates, had been drinking beer in the same bar earlier that night.

"They had played pool in opposing teams and we suspect the fight was over previous grudges because the reason of leaving each other behind at a beer spot cannot result in two elderly men fighting to that extent.

"Ndlovu was walking back home in the company of his brother in-law when Tapiwanashe came running and caught up with them. It is then that he's said to have accused Ndlovu of being a bad fellow and demanded to know why he had left him behind," he said.

Mr Chimhene said as they approached the compound, Mr Maseko joined them and tried to stop them from fighting as they walked home.

"When the two fought at the front gate, the guards stopped them and reprimanded Tapiwanashe. After about 30 minutes, Tapiwanashe came banging on Ndlovu's door, shouting that he wanted to kill him in front of his wife," said Mr Chimhene.

"Ndlovu told his wife not to open the door. He said he would be forced to axe Tapiwanashe if he went outside to fight him. Eager to know what was going on, Ndlovu's wife opened the door".

He said Ndlovu rushed out holding an axe.

"He went straight towards Tapiwanashe who then tried to flee but because of his drunken state, he fell to the ground. The two wrestled for a while before Ndlovu hit him five times on the skull," said Mr Chimhene.

Ndlovu, he said, threw the axe outside the compound and started screaming that he had killed someone.

"We had to hold him down as he started running around like a crazy person," he said.

Bulawayo Metropolitan Province police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango could not be reached for comment.