Man clobbered in tribalism storm

A BULAWAYO man sustained a deep cut on the forehead when he was clobbered with a snooker stick and open hands by two men who were accusing him of being a tribalist.

This emerged when Derrick Ngulube appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Franklin Mkhwananzi facing charges of assault.

He was found guilty of assaulting Mr Jevous Macleen Masipikiri and ordered to pay a fine of $300 or face three months in prison. In delivering sentence, Mr Mkhwananzi said Ngulube’s conduct was unlawful in the circumstances.

“You will pay a fine of $300 and failure to do so means you will have to serve the alternative which is three months imprisonment,” he said.

The court heard that on 18 March at about 9pm in Trenance, Ngulube and another man still at large teamed up and assaulted Mr Masipikiri accusing him of being a tribalist. For the State, Mr Taurayi Hondoyemoto said on the day, Mr Masipikiri was playing snooker at Nkosibusise Shops when Ngulube approached him and accused him of being a tribalist. Ngulube then grabbed a snooker stick and used it to severely assault Mr Masipikiri on the forehead. Mr Masipikiri ran away but the two followed him and further assaulted him with open hands until he fell to the ground.

The court heard that Mr Masipikiri sustained a deep cut on the forehead and blisters all over the body. The two only left Mr Masipikiri when they saw he was becoming unconscious. A report was made at Sauerstown Police Station leading to their arrest.