Man Dies in Fight Over Teenage Lover

A Zimbabwean man from Plumtree has died after two men allegedly clobbered him with knobkerries, hoe handles and a hammer during a fight over a 17-year-old girl.

Wiseman Moyo (18) and Peacemore Ngwenya (18) allegedly assaulted Given Sibanda (19) on Wednesday last week.

Sibanda was declared dead on admission to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo last Thursday morning.

Villagers initiated a manhunt for the two suspected murderers and they have been both arrested.

Moyo was arrested on Thursday. Villagers ambushed Ngwenya at his employer’s home and handed him over to the police over the weekend.

It is said the girlfriend, Mathende Sibanda had visited her grandmother in the same village.

That is when Sibanda made a trip to meet with her.

“He drove from Plumtree in the company of a friend who was not identified. At his girlfriend’s home, he was told that she had visited her grandmother who lived a few kilometres away.

“The pair followed Mathende to her grandmother’s home and found her with the two suspects. Her grandmother had already retired to bed. The four men started quarrelling over the girl, resulting in the two suspects producing weapons which they used to clobber the now deceased,” said the neighbour.

The neighbour said Sibanda’s friend vanished as soon as a fight broke out.

“Moyo and Ngwenya attacked Sibanda, bashing him with a hammer and knobkerries until he passed out. Mathende called out to neighbours who rushed to the scene and found Sibanda unconscious. He was bleeding profusely from the head and body,” he said.

Sibanda was rushed to Hospital where due to his critical condition, he was quickly transferred to Central Hospital for further management. He died upon admission.

Ngwenya had been hiding in the bushes since Thursday and through a tip-off, villagers ambushed him as he arrived at his employer’s home where he had been hiding at night since the day of the murder.