Landlord attacks lodger with an axe

An elderly Gweru man who allegedly attacked his lodger with an axe after suspecting that he was having an extra-marital affair with his daughter in-law, has appeared before Gweru magistrate, Ms Florence Nago, to answer attempted murder charges.

Isaac Bayana (73), of 144 Mkoba Village 14  allegedly struck Mr Christopher Shumba, a local kombi driver, twice on the head and on the eye with an axe.

Bayana, who is being represented by Mr Tonderai Chitere, of Chitere, Chidawanyika and Partners denied the charge and was remanded in custody to today for bail ruling.

For the State, Mr Bernard Nyoni told the court that on 7 January 2013, Mr Shumba, who is a tenant at Bayana's house retuned home and gave Bayana a raincoat he had borrowed.

The court heard that Bayana then demanded $8 from Shumba after he discovered that the raincoat had been torn.

Mr Nyoni said there was a heated argument between Bayana and Mr Shumba after Shumba refused to pay the $8, which Bayana had demanded.

He said at about 10pm on the same day, Bayana later broke into Mr Shumba's room armed with an axe.

The court heard that Bayana struck Mr Shumba twice on the head and in the face before he fled from the scene.

Mr Nyoni said Mr Shumba, who sustained a deep cut on the eye and on the head, was taken to Gweru Provincial Hospital.

The matter was later reported to the police leading to Bayana's arrest.

In his defence, Bayana said he attacked Mr Shumba in self-defence after the complainant and his (Bayana) daughter in-law teamed up to assault him during an argument over the torn rain coat.

Bayana said he became incensed after he suspected that Mr Shumba was having an extra marital affair with his daughter in-law when the two connived to assault him.