Shona man axed in tribal attack

A 27-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo allegedly axed another man saying he was of the Shona tribe and that disgusted him.

Bekithemba Dlamini tried to strike Mr Fanuel Marecha (28) on his side, but he blocked the axe and it landed on his left elbow.

Dlamini was with an unnamed friend who is at large when they attacked Mr Marecha on Tuesday night.

Yesterday, Dlamini was not asked to plead to attempted murder before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Adelaide Mbeure.

Ms Mbeure advised him to apply for bail at the High Court and remanded him in custody to June 21.

Prosecuting, Mr Tawurai Hondoyemoto said Mr Marecha was with his friend Aleck Chigwedere at a centre parking along corner Leopold Takawira and Herbert Chitepo Street when they were approached by Dlamini and his friend.

Mr Hondoyemoto said the two disembarked from a car and when Dlamini's friend saw Mr Marecha he stated that whenever he saw a Shona person he felt like vomiting.

"He then spat on the ground, took an axe from the car and they went to Chicken Inn at corner Leopold Takawira Avenue and Fort Street. When they returned from the shop, Dlamini's friend approached Mr Marecha and told him that he was going to deal with him," he said.

"Dlamini's friend tried to strike the complainant with an axe and Dlamini took the axe from him. He lifted the axe intending to strike Mr Marecha on his side, but Mr Marecha blocked the axe with his hand and it struck his left elbow."

The court heard that after attacking Mr Marecha, Dlamini attempted to flee but members of the public apprehended him. His friend escaped.