Four siblings team up, assault sister's hubby

FOUR siblings from Bulawayo's Sizinda suburb allegedly ganged up to assault their brother-in-law for accusing their sister of cheating on him.

Norman Tshuma (39), Mthokozisi (18), Bongani (31) and Locadia (26), from Sizinda suburb are suspected to have assaulted Mr Silas Ncube, their sister's husband, on Wednesday afternoon, leaving him hospitalised.

They allegedly used a knobkerrie, stick, catapult, stones and fists to assault him.

The Tshuma siblings yesterday appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Lungile Ncube facing physical abuse charges.

The three brothers pleaded guilty while the sister (Locadia) denied the accusations.

The magistrate remanded the matter to 24 November pending a medical report from Mr Ncube's doctor.

Prosecuting, Mrs Memory Ndlovu said the four intervened in a misunderstanding between their sister, Ms Sandile Tshuma and Mr Ncube. They assaulted Ncube after he accused Ms Tshuma of cheating on him.

"On November 8 at around 12.30 PM, the complainant was at his house with Sandile Tshuma. The two were having a misunderstanding. The complainant was accusing Ms Tshuma of cheating," she said.

"The four accused went to the complainant's house, kicked his door open and hit him with a stick, knobkerrie, catapult, stones and fists all over the body."

The prosecutor said Mr Ncube sustained injuries all over the body. He sought medical attention and a medical report could be produced as evidence in court.