Man strikes fellow villager with axe over cigarette

By Grace Nyoni

A man from Lower Gweru will spend the three years in jail for striking a fellow villager with an axe on the forehead in a misunderstanding over a cigarette. Mandla Sikhosana (23) of Nkani Village, Chief Mkoba, Lower Gweru yesterday appeared before Gweru magistrate Ms Mildred Matuvi, facing one count of assault.

He was convicted despite pleading not guilty and was sentenced to three years and three months in jail.

It was the State case that on February 2 this year, Sikhosana went to Mr George Baleni’s homestead and asked for a cigarette, which the latter did not have. The court heard that Sikhosana was infuriated by Mr Baleni’s failure to give him a cigarette and went on to draw an axe from his bag, which he used to strike him once on the forehead.

As a result, Mr Baleni suffered a deep cut. Sikhosana, the court heard, fled from the scene leaving Mr Baleni bleeding heavily.

Mr Baleni’s neighbours who saw Sikhosana leaving in a hurry with a blood stained axe, rushed to assist Mr Baleni and ferried him to Gweru Provincial Hospital, where he was treated.

The court heard that on the same day Sikhosana also assaulted a woman in the same village with stones after she had refused to give him refuge. The case was reported to the police, leading to Sikhosana’s arrest. The Herald