Miner sentenced to life for brutal bar attack

A High Court judge, Justice Naison Chivayo, has sentenced a Gweru artisanal miner to life imprisonment for a brutal bar attack in which he used an AK-47 Colombia knife to fatally stab one person and injure another. The attack, which occurred at Vhudzijena Night Club, Mkoba 16 Business Centre, left one man dead and a teenager seriously injured.

Courage Hwami (35), a resident of Mkoba 13 suburb, appeared before Justice Chivayo at the Gweru High Court circuit on Saturday, facing one count of murder and another of attempted murder. Despite pleading not guilty to both charges, Hwami was convicted of murder with actual intent and attempted murder following a full trial.

For the murder of Courage Sibanda, Hwami was sentenced to life imprisonment, and for the attempted murder of Nomore Hove (35), he was handed an additional 10 years in prison. The sentences will run concurrently.

During the trial, Hwami claimed that as an artisanal miner, he often carried a knife or metal rod for self-protection. However, the State’s case, presented by prosecutor Ms. Angeline Munyeriwa, painted a darker picture of the events leading to the fatal incident.

According to the court, the attack occurred on December 4, 2023, around 3 a.m., when Hwami and Sibanda had an altercation at Vhudzijena Night Club. Hove, who worked as a caretaker at the venue, intervened to resolve the dispute.

Shortly after, Hwami attacked Sibanda, stabbing him twice with an AK-47 Colombia knife—once in the chest and once in the back. Sibanda ran out of the bar, but collapsed and died due to the severity of his injuries. The court heard that Sibanda sustained deep stab wounds to his chest and back.

Hwami then turned on Hove, chasing him outside the bar and stabbing him in the chest before fleeing the scene towards Mkoba 13 suburb. Hove was rushed to Gweru Provincial Hospital, where he was treated for his injuries and later discharged.

The police arrested Hwami shortly after the incident, and the AK-47 Colombia knife used in the attack was recovered.

Sibanda's body was transported to United Bulawayo Hospitals for a postmortem. Dr. Maibelys Gavilan Acosta, who conducted the examination, concluded that Sibanda died from hypovolemic shock, lung lacerations, hemothorax, and stab wounds to the chest.

Justice Chivayo condemned the brutal nature of the crime, handing down the life sentence in an effort to send a strong message against violent crimes in the region.