Ngoma forgives brother’s killer… ‘they were playing as friends’

By Paul Mundandi in Zvishavane

Donald Ngoma, a Zimbabwean national team player, has forgiven a teenager who killed his younger brother on Thursday last week.

Ngoma flew from Tanzania to attend the funeral wake in Zvishavane with some assistance from his club, Young Africans who bought the striker a return ticket.

Fred was buried in Kwekwe on Sunday. He was a promising player who could have probably fitted in his brother’s shoes.

“I lost my young brother and it is very painful. I am putting everything in God’s hands and I feel sorry for Benjamin. I cannot judge him because I am not God. If I had the powers I could have set him free.

“They were playing as friends. It happened by mistake because I feel he had no intention to kill him and it probably could have been my brother who killed him.

“I just pray that my brother’s soul will rest in eternal peace and I will keep on praying to God but my brother it’s painful. I blame myself for failing. I had tried to raise my young brother but his life came to an abrupt end before i had done my best.

“I am the breadwinner and had wished to do all I could for my family members but it’s only God who knows our destiny,” said a tearful Ngoma who had a number of players and fans from Platinum to console him.

Fred, 16, a form one student at Zvishavane Secondary, died following a fist fight with his friend, Benjamin Makumbe. The two were also church members at Baptist.

Fred had demanded his stockings from Benjamin as he wanted to go home after a practice match but the two friends exchanged blows resulting in Benjamin kicking Fred on the oesophagus.

When Fred fell on the ground and with the security guard who was guarding Gresham Primary school having rushed to the scene he suspected Ngoma’s brother to have died.

Benjamin, a close friend and church mate to Fred began to pray asking God to give Fred back his life before shedding tears. The accused turned 17 on Monday.

Benjamin appeared in court this week before Zvishavane magistrate, Mr Peter Madhibha who remanded him in the custody of his father to the 28th of this month.
Mr Talent Tadenyija appeared for the State. H Metro