Man axes brother over wheelbarrow

A 39-year-old man from Methodist Village on the outskirts of Bulawayo axed his 22-year-old sibling to death for selling his wheelbarrow without his consent, police have confirmed.

The incident occurred on Thursday when the accused Nkosilathi Moyo, who has since been arrested, hacked his younger brother Blessing with an axe for selling his wheelbarrow.

Police spokesperson for Bulawayo Province Inspector Abednico Ncube told Sunday News that the brothers were alone at their home in Methodist Village when the incident occurred.

"We received a report of murder where siblings Nkosilathi and Blessing Moyo are said to have had a scuffle over a wheelbarrow belonging to Nkosilathi that Blessing is alleged to have sold. The result was that Nkosilathi struck his younger brother with an axe on the head and forehead. He died on the spot," said Insp Ncube.

The incident happened when their 64-year-old father was away herding cattle. When the father returned home he found Blessing in a sitting position on the sofa motionless and bleeding from the back of the head and forehead.

Nkosilathi later came back home and confessed to his father that he had killed his younger brother.

A report was made to the police leading to Nkosilathi's arrest while Blessing's body was taken to a Bulawayo hospital for a post-mortem.

Insp Ncube called on members of the public not to take the law into their hands but to involve the services of third parties to solve their differences.

"As police we urge members of the public to solve their problems amicably than to resort to the use of violence as this results in unnecessary loss of lives," he said.