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Man kills one, injures three with a hoe

by Staff reporter
07 Oct 2013 at 03:44hrs | Views
A Hurungwe man ran amok last Friday, axing one man to death and striking and seriously injuring three others with a hoe before walking through the village carrying one of the victims who was critically injured in a dish.

The critically injured were children aged between two and five who are now battling for life in hospital.

At least two others managed to escape from the rampaging man, who was allegedly suffering from a mental problem. Tarasana Kapanga (41), has since been arrested after going on the orgy that left villagers in the Kafaupongwa area of Tengwe under Chief Mujinga shocked.

On the fateful day, Costain Mabhadha (26), went to fetch firewood with Nickson Makochekanwa (15), at around 8am when they met Kapanga, who was standing by the side of the road and he asked to accompany them on their second trip.

He got into the scotch-cart and after they loaded some firewood, he asked for an axe, saying he wanted to chop another tree.

Kapanga suddenly struck Mabhadha on the neck from behind and he fell to the ground and then turned on Makochekanwa, who ran away.

After he could not catch up with Makochekanwa, Kapanga returned to the scotch-cart where Mabhadha was wreathing in pain and struck him again on the head.

A villager found Mabhadha gasping for breath as he breathed his last. After striking Mabhadha, Kapanga headed for his cousin Alexander Chimuponda's homestead about a kilometre from the scene where upon arrival he picked a hoe and struck Joseph Chimuponda (5) once on the head before turning on Evernice Karombo (4) and struck her on the head.

He then went for two-year-old Livison Karombo and again struck him on the head with the same hoe. Kapanga then took Livison and placed him in a dish before carrying the dish on his head and left.

Along the way, he met Tinashe Chimuponda, who noticed that he was carrying the injured boy and confronted him, forcing him to put the dish down.

Kapanga then armed himself with stones and attacked Chimuponda, but he was overpowered, leading to his apprehension.

Chimuponda tied Kapanga to a tree before alerting other villagers.

The three children who sustained serious head injuries were taken to Chidamoyo Hospital where Joseph was later transferred to Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare owing to the seriousness of his injuries. The condition of the three children is reportedly critical.

Mashonaland West police spokesperson Inspector Clemence Mabgweazara said Kapanga was detained at a police station in the province where he was assisting police with investigations. Mabhadha's father Mr Evson Mabhadha said his son left behind two children and a wife and his death was a major blow to the family.

"This has come as a shock to us as a family and also the whole village because we never expected Tarasana (Kapanga) to be this violent," he said.

"We only know that he comes home to eat and at some point they seemed to get on well with my son, who always made sure he gets food whenever he comes to visit."

Kapanga never married and was living with his mother and sister.

Source - herald
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