The Sunday News
Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A 23-year-old man from Dombodema in Bulilima District broke into his aunt’s house in the middle of the night and struck her with an axe on the head accusing her of ill-treating him.Njabulo Sibanda went to his aunt’s house and chopped down the door to her bedroom using the axe. He got inside and complained about the ill-treatment he was receiving from his aunt, Ms Thabani Moyo and her family.
Sibanda complained that he was being treated as a slave as he was being burdened with numerous chores and was also getting little food in the process.
He also pointed out that his aunt disliked him and was always speaking ill of him to his uncle.
He then attacked her with the axe on the hip and head. Ms Moyo was treated at Plumtree District Hospital and was discharged on the same day.
Sibanda’s uncle, Mr Conny Sibanda, said he was away when the incident occurred last week on Sunday evening.
“I went away around 8pm, leaving my family behind as well as Njabulo who was staying with us. I received a phone call alerting me that my wife had been attacked by my nephew.
“I rushed home but Njabulo had fled and my wife was groaning in pain and she had two cuts on her body; one was on the hip and the other on the head. We quickly rushed her to the local clinic as she was losing a lot of blood,” said Mr Sibanda.
“When we got to the clinic she was treated and later referred to Plumtree District Hospital for further treatment.”
The councillor for the area, Benjamin Nleya, said Njabulo was arrested on the same night while trying to flee to Botswana.
“I received the report on the incident where a woman from Male area in Dombodema was axed by her nephew. The man, Njabulo, was arrested while he was trying to flee to Botswana.
“The police caught up with him and he is now in custody. It appears that Njabulo was disgruntled over the harsh treatment he alleged to have been receiving from his relatives he was staying with though I did not get any specifics on his exact grievances,” said Clr Nleya.
“It also appears that Njabulo has a mental condition which he experiences on several occasions. In this particular case I do not know whether his behaviour was a result of his mental condition.”
A source close to the family confirmed that at times Njabulo experiences a mental disorder.
“Njabulo has been reported to have done weird things but on rare occasions. It appears that his mental problem starts when he puts on clothes that he brought from Botswana.
“There is a time when he went to work in Botswana last year and he is reported to have stolen some clothes while he was there. These are the clothes that when he puts on he starts acting in a strange manner. However, in this case it appears he was not wearing those clothes,” said the source.
Njabulo appeared before Plumtree magistrate Mr Gideon Ruvetsa for initial remand and was remanded in custody to 23 September.
