Three dead in machete rampage. . .Panner duped by hooker goes berserk

By Munyaradzi Musiiwa

An artisanal miner from Shurugwi went berserk and randomly attacked patrons at Mzansi Night Club in the gold mining town with a machete leaving three people dead and several others injured as revenge after being duped by a sex worker.

The incident occurred on Friday when Benjamin Chipapata (26) of Sebanga Extension, Shurugwi indiscriminately attacked patrons with a machete killing a sex worker, a vendor and a male patron while leaving several others seriously injured.

Chipapata had allegedly hired a prostitute and took her behind the popular nightspot.

The two had an altercation which led to the prostitute leaving him and running to find sanctuary in the bar.

Chipapata, according to a police source, chased after the prostitute armed with a broken empty beer bottle.

The source said all hell broke loose when one of the patrons tried to disarm him and stabbed him in the process.

According to a police memo addressed to Gweru Rural Dispol, Chipapata sustained a small cut due to the scuffle.

“On March 8, 2019 at around 2 AM, Partson Bhenga had a misunderstanding with the accused person over an unknown issue.

After the misunderstanding Partson Bhenga left the accused person and entered the bar.

“Thereafter, the accused person approached Judith Ruzive intending to buy polony.

“The accused person was holding a beer bottle which accidentally fell down. Other patrons who were at Mzansi night club asked the accused person the reason why he broke the bottle.

“One of the patrons took the broken bottle and stabbed the accused person on the left side of the chest. The accused person fell down as the patrons moved away.

“The accused person got up and pursued the one who had stabbed him inside the bar while holding a machete and failed to locate him,” reads parts of the memo.

Chipapata allegedly randomly attacked patrons with the machete.

He struck Judith Ruzive once on the left shoulder, once on the right wrist and once on the head.

“The accused person struck an unknown complainant with a machete once on the left thigh and right heel,” read the memo.

Chipapata attacked Partson Bhenga whom he had previously had a misunderstanding with before fleeing from the scene.

The matter was reported to the police leading to Chipapata’s arrest.

Sources yesterday said three of the attacked people later died in hospital due to injuries sustained as a result of the attack.

Chipapata is detained at Shurugwi police station under DB number 283/19 and docket number RRB 3645032.

Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Joel Goko confirmed the incident saying only one person had been confirmed dead by Friday.

“I can confirm that we are investigating a murder case where an artisanal miner murdered a vendor at Mzansi bar in Shurugwi. The other two people Chido Makamba and Bhenga were said to be in a very critical condition when we last checked. I am not aware of other deaths because there is another unidentified sex worker who was also attacked together with other patrons,” he said. The Chronicle