Villager dies after homestead fight

A Headlands man allegedly killed a fellow villager who had stormed his homestead during the night and threatened to set ablaze his houses.

Sithengisiwe Nyamadzawo of Plot 17, Chitachenyasha Village, has been arrested and charged with the murder of Stanford Ngilipano, who died in hospital five days after the attack. Prosecutor Malvern Musarurwa told the court Nyamadzawo used fists and slammed the deceased’s head against a wall.

“The accused person struck the now deceased with fists several times on the face and rammed his head against the tobacco barn wall after a misunderstanding,” he said.

His lawyer Tendai Bvuma said Nyamadzawo acted in self-defence. “The now deceased arrived around 23.50pm at Nyamadzawo’s homestead, inviting him to a fight.

“Nyamadzawo indicated that he was not going to come out of his house.

“The now deceased then said he knew what to do for Nyamadzawo to come out.

“He then indicated that he wanted to burn down the kitchen hut where his children were sleeping. He started to stone Nyamadzawo’s bedroom.

“The now deceased started to pull down the grass thatch from Nyamadzawo’s kitchen, threatening to burn it.

“Nyamadzawo came out and confronted the now deceased who attacked him with a stone. Nyamadzawo and the now deceased started exchanging blows.

“The now deceased overpowered Nyamadzawo and fled.

“He then hit against the poles that protruded from the barn, as he fled, resulting in him falling with a loud scream.

He was injured. The now deceased was taken to hospital where he later passed on, five days later.

“It can be noted that Nyamadzawo only acted in self-defence.” Bvuma successfully applied for bail at the High Court.

Mutare High Court Judge Justice Issac Muzenda granted him US$300 bail and ordered him to report to the police once every two weeks. *_-H-Metro_*