Headman hacked to death for spilling beer

A headman was gruesomely murdered in Esigodini, Matabeleland South, with his body later found dumped in a mine shaft, police have confirmed.

Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Chiratidzo Dube said the incident occurred on August 27 at Crocodile Patreal 24 Mine. The deceased has been identified as Artmore Sibanda, 31.

Investigations have linked five Ringstate mine workers-Richard Nyoni, Vusa Ndebele, Jabulani Ndebele, and brothers Smally and Irvene Khabo-to the killing. Nyoni has been arrested and implicated the other suspects, who remain at large.

Inspector Dube said the body was discovered by a mine worker at around 6am. "The informant went inside the mine shaft, about 40 metres deep, using a pulley. Upon reaching the bottom, he discovered a human body lying face up with a deep cut on the back of the head and another cut on the top of the right buttock," she said.

According to the spokesperson, investigations revealed that Sibanda had been drinking with the suspects, during which he accidentally spilled a bottle of Black Label beer belonging to one of them. "That did not go well with the suspects, and one of them, called Smally, used a machete to strike Sibanda once on the back of the head," Dube explained.

She added that the other suspects joined in, using unidentified objects to assault Sibanda further. "When they realised that Sibanda had passed away, they carried his body and threw it into the mine shaft," Dube said.

Police investigations into the murder are ongoing, with efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects continuing.