News / National
Man assaulted for being bald-headed and broke
21 Apr 2023 at 15:14hrs | Views
THE belief that baldness is associated with wealth nearly cost a man from Kezi in Matabeleland South province his life after he was brutally attacked by three fellow villagers with stones and bricks as punishment for being bald-headed while not having money.
This was heard when Bekithemba Zondo (22) and Hlalisekile Moyo (24) appeared before Kezi resident magistrate Busani Sibanda facing an assault charge.
They were found guilty and each was sentenced to 13 months in prison of which seven months were suspended on condition that they do not commit a similar crime within a period of five years.
Zondo and Moyo will, however, each serve an effective six months behind bars.
In arriving at the sentence the magistrate considered that assault was a prevalent crime in the area and therefore there was a need to send a deterrent to would-be offenders.
The court also noted that the trio used lethal weapons in attacking the complainant.
They attacked him indiscriminately thereby injuring him and according to a medical report the injuries might be permanent.
However, the pair's accomplice Owen Sibanda (42) is yet to be arrested.
In their defence they heaped the blame on Sibanda. They both claimed they were breaking up a fight between Sibanda and the bald-headed Nhlanhla Mwenda (42).
However, three witnesses who testified during trial nailed them when they told the court that they assaulted Mwenda after they asked him for money to buy booze and they turned violent after he told them that he had nothing on him.
This was heard when Bekithemba Zondo (22) and Hlalisekile Moyo (24) appeared before Kezi resident magistrate Busani Sibanda facing an assault charge.
They were found guilty and each was sentenced to 13 months in prison of which seven months were suspended on condition that they do not commit a similar crime within a period of five years.
Zondo and Moyo will, however, each serve an effective six months behind bars.
In arriving at the sentence the magistrate considered that assault was a prevalent crime in the area and therefore there was a need to send a deterrent to would-be offenders.
The court also noted that the trio used lethal weapons in attacking the complainant.
They attacked him indiscriminately thereby injuring him and according to a medical report the injuries might be permanent.
However, the pair's accomplice Owen Sibanda (42) is yet to be arrested.
In their defence they heaped the blame on Sibanda. They both claimed they were breaking up a fight between Sibanda and the bald-headed Nhlanhla Mwenda (42).
However, three witnesses who testified during trial nailed them when they told the court that they assaulted Mwenda after they asked him for money to buy booze and they turned violent after he told them that he had nothing on him.
Source - B-Metro
