Neighbours tell of disbelief over ‘savage’ killing of man in Foxrock

GARDAÍ have described as ‘barbaric’ the scenes they encountered at a home in an upmarket Dublin suburb where a young man was stabbed to death.

The Malawian man, 27, named locally as Limbani Mzoma, was also known as Robert.

A 46-year-old woman, also of African origin and known to Mr Mzoma, was in Garda custody last night.

Sources described the scene as ‘an abattoir’ and ‘a horror show’. They say the man was ‘butchered’ shortly before midnight on Thursday at the home he rented with up to six

‘It was an abattoir’

other African and Irish people at Tudor Lawns in affluent Foxrock in south Dublin.

It is understood that Mr Mzoma was stabbed more than a dozen times in the neck, chest and back, after which his private parts were removed.

Other people in the house raised the alarm when they became aware of the attack.

Senior sources say that many of those present were ‘under the influence of drugs’ when gardaí arrived and there was a ‘party of sorts’ going on.

According to sources, murder detectives were ‘horrified’ by the bloody scene that greeted them at the Foxrock home.

A senior source said: ‘It was an abattoir. There were pools of blood. ‘Gardaí were also trying to deal with several people who were heavily under the influence of drugs, as in completely out of their minds. It was a horror show.’

While detectives last night were still trying to piece together all the facts, gardaí are exploring the theory that the woman in custody felt ‘wronged and spurned’ by Mr Mzoma.

The Irish Daily Mail understands that gardaí at Cabinteely had earlier responded to a public order incident at the house at 3.30pm on Thursday.

Sources say there was a ‘domestic’ situation ongoing involving a number of residents at the house and alcohol was being consumed.

However, after gardaí spoke to those at the house, it’s understood the situation ‘calmed’ and there appeared to be no apparent cause for concern.

The house where Mr Mzoma was killed has been at the centre of various public order incidents, and numerous noise complaints, over the past couple of years, sources say

A source said: ‘It was a party house. There was always drinking, drug taking and issues that arose from that, the neighbours were frequently calling the gardaí.’

Several neighbours spoken to by the Irish Daily Mail said that there was ‘consistent trouble’ at the house.

One neighbour said: ‘There would be parties going on all night, quite frequently.

‘And not just at the weekends – as often as not it was mid-week also.

‘The people who lived there would be coming and going at all times of the night and day. It didn’t seem like many of them were working.’

Another neighbour said the tenants renting the house did not ‘mix much’ with the others on the road.

The resident said: ‘There are a lot of families and older people living here.

‘People were always having to call the gardaí. So they kept to themselves a lot.’

However, other locals said that those living in the house, both African and Irish, were always ‘polite and pleasant’ when they passed them on the street.

All neighbours in the quiet, tree-lined estate expressed shock and dismay that a man so brutally died in their midst while most of the neighbourhood slept.

‘No-one can believe this happened.

‘The entire community is in a state of shock,’ added a neighbour.

Mr Mzoma’s body remained at the scene overnight until it was removed at 1.20pm yesterday.

The woman last night remained at Dún Laoghaire Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.

Sources have confirmed that the victim’s private parts were removed after death.

Deputy State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan attended the scene at lunchtime yesterday. A post mortem is to establish the exact cause of death.

Assistant Garda Commissioner Pat Leahy was also seen talking to investigating gardaí at the scene yesterday morning.

‘Consistent trouble’