Village head attacked by disgruntled villagers

A village head from Nkayi district is lucky to be alive after he was allegedly struck with an unknown object by one of his subjects.

Mr Patrick Kunene (53), the village head of Majaha Village in Ward 24, Chief Sikobokobo, reportedly spent a few days unconscious last month after being allegedly ambushed and struck on the head by Jofias Nkomazana, who is also his neighbour.

 
Mr Kunene showing the wounds he sustained after being attacked by one of his subjects

Mr Kunene only reportedly regained consciousness at Nkayi District Hospital where he was treated for multiple lacerations on the scalp.

Indications are that Mr Kunene had a long standing misunderstanding with Nkomazana and his wife Ms Sithabiso Ndlovu who were accusing him of implicating them in a clandestine sale of cattle in the area.

Nkomazana and his wife would reportedly sell cattle without following procedure.

The assault occurred on 20 June, a day before Nkomazana and Ms Ndlovu were supposed to appear before Headman Mlime's court over the wrangle with Mr Kunene.

The two parties reportedly have a number of reported cases at the police against each other owing to sour relations.

Nkomazana appeared before Nkayi magistrate Mr Ndumo Masuku for assault.

Nkomazana was found not guilty when the State led by Mr Maxwell Hapanyengwi closed its case on Tuesday. It was established that Mr Kunene provoked the situation resulting in the assault.

Nkomazana told the court that he was annoyed when he met Mr Kunene who asked about his wife's whereabouts yet they "did not see eye to eye".

Mr Kunene visited Chronicle with medical records showing that he suffered multiple lacerations on the scalp and a deep cut into the skull, which the doctor said could have been caused by a blunt object and was likely to cause permanent disability.

Narrating his ordeal, Mr Kunene said his relationship with the couple had deteriorated to irreparable levels.

He said he was worried that he would lose his life because of the injuries, which are still fresh.

He said their relationship soured in 2009 when he was still a home-based care giver when one of the patients died and Ms Ndlovu, also a care-giver, "falsely" implicated him as having caused the patient's death through overdose and negligence.

"I was a care-giver and Ms Ndlovu reported to Mbuma Mission Hospital that I had killed the patient. What pained me was that the affidavit was written without my knowledge and she also fabricated that I had raped my own nine-year-old daughter and infected her with HIV and Aids," said Mr Kunene.

"She went on to write a letter accusing me of begrudging her and her husband their business of selling cattle. I was only doing my job as a village head to guard against theft of livestock in our area. Sometime in August last year she opened a case against me (Case Number 236/11) accusing me of threats of violence but the case was referred back to the traditional courts after it was seen that there was no evidence."

Mr Kunene said Ms Ndlovu was then summoned to the headman's court on several occasions but she refused.

On 11 November last year, according to police documents, Ms Ndlovu was advised to attend Headman Mlime's court.

Mr Kunene was then ambushed on 20 June this year, the night before the court date.

"Headman Mlime had gone to Mbuma Mission to get the affidavit written by Ms Ndlovu so that he proceeds with the court session the following day and this is the day when Nkomazana and his wife plotted to attack me. I do not know what happened and I only woke up in hospital."

The case went to court but I am not happy because I am now sick and my attacker is walking scot free," said Mr Kunene holding back tears.