Herdman jailed for stabbing fellow villager

A Gwanda herdman from Guyu, Livias Dube, 23, has sentenced to 36 months in prison for stabbing a fellow villager following a misunderstanding.

Dube of Selonga area in Guyu was convicted on his own plea of guilty for assaulting Tibello Ndlovu (59).

Twelve months were suspended for five years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within that period. The court heard that on January 2 at around 2:30am, Ndlovu was on his way home when he met Dube, who started assaulting him without saying a word to him.

It is alleged that Ndlovu fell to the ground and Dube stabbed him twice with a knife once in his back and once just under the left hand side of ribs. Dube then ran away, but he was apprehended. Dube told the court that Ndlovu threatened him saying he didn't want him in the village alleging that there were too many thieves and thugs.

"I admit that I stabbed the complainant, but I did not assault him," Dube said. "I stabbed him defending myself because during our misunderstanding, four people approached us and started assaulting me. I grabbed the knife from one of and I stabbed Ndlovu as he was advancing towards me menacingly then ran away," Dube said.