A 63-year-old Bulawayo man appeared before Plumtree Magistrate, Sharon Rosemani facing a murder charge after he allegedly fatally assaulted his 43-year friend in the middle of the night after suspecting that he was a robber.
Elton Ngoma assaulted Mgcini Sibanda who later died at Plumtree District Hospital from injuries that he sustained during the assault.
The two were “omagumaguma” and were returning from assisting border jumpers to cross illegally into Botswana when they met in a bushy area.
Ngoma assaulted Sibanda with fists and booted feet all over the body leaving him seriously injured. State Elain Kanengoni told the magistrate:
On 18 January at around 9, AM Mgcini Sibanda was brought injured to Plumtree Police Station by an informant Mr Mafukunyane Mguni.
Mr Mguni indicated that he found Sibanda injured in a bushy area near Plumtree Border Post where he is alleged to have been assaulted by his friend Elton Ngoma.
Sibanda was referred to Plumtree District Hospital for treatment where he died the following day while admitted. Ngoma was arrested on January 20.