Man fatally strikes friend with a stool over beer money

A 39-YEAR-OLD man from Mberengwa yesterday appeared at the Gweru High Court charged with killing his colleague with a wooden stool following a dispute over money.

Justice Maxwell Takuva heard that Takawira Ndlovu allegedly fatally struck Never Zhou with a stool after the latter declined to give him money he had asked for.

The alleged incident occurred at a beer drinking party at Siphilisiwe Nyamande's homestead in Mazinyani village in Chief Bankwe's area on September 22, 2010.

The court heard that when the beer ran out at around 5pm, Ndlovu approached Zhou and took him to a secluded place outside the homestead, where they engaged in some discussion.

Ndlovu later came back shouting that Zhou had stabbed him.

The two entered a kitchen hut, where the accused allegedly assaulted the deceased with a metal cup several times on the head.

"Eventually, they got out of the kitchen hut and it is then that the accused armed himself with a wooden stool and struck the deceased with it once on the head," the court heard.

"The deceased fell to the ground as a result. The accused continued to deliver three more blows with the stool on the head."

Zhou later succumbed to the head injuries and a report was made to the police, leading to Ndlovu's arrest.

Takuva will deliver judgment in the matter today.