Sisters crush brother's head with a hammer

HIGH Court judge Justice Samuel Kudya on Tuesday presided over a murder case where two Murehwa women allegedly crushed their brother's head to pulp with a hammer following a domestic dispute.

The court heard that the two siblings Elizabeth and Theresa Nyarungwe allegedly teamed up with Elizabeth's boyfriend Proud Michael, and crushed Hardson Nyarungwe's head accusing him of breaking their door.

The incident happened three years ago, but one of the suspects, Michael, later died in remand prison before trial had commenced.

State counsel Beaven Murevanhema told the court that soon after committing the crime, the suspects filed a false police report alleging their brother had been attacked by unidentified assailants.

Murevanhema said on the fateful night, Hardson, whose age was not mentioned in court papers, arrived home around 9pm and entered his bedroom.

His sister, Elizabeth, who was asleep in her bedroom with Michael immediately woke up and confronted him demanding to know why he had broken her lock, resulting in a verbal showdown which later degenerated into a fistfight.

In the ensuing melee, the pair allegedly tied Hardson's hands with a piece of wire and continued beating him up until he fell unconscious. They later pummeled his head with a hammer and took him to his bedroom before making a false murder report.

Justice Kudya heard that Hardson's body was examined by a doctor who concluded that he had succumbed to internal blood clotting and a depressed skull fracture.

The State closed its submissions yesterday and the two sisters' lawyers are expected to file their response tomorrow.