TWO gun-wielding South Africa-based Zimbabweans from Nkayi allegedly went berserk and rounded up some villagers including minors whom they force-marched and severely assaulted with sjamboks in Maphasaphasa area, police confirmed.
About eight shots were allegedly fired at the victims but none was on target as some fled into the cover of the night. The two suspects, names supplied, are into cross border and taxi transporting in the neighbouring country.
They allegedly teamed up with six unidentified accomplices on 15 August and went to their home area in Mbotshwa Village under Chief Madliwa where they tortured villagers from eight homesteads in one night.
The Chronicle was told that the gang allegedly separately fired eight shots but missed target as the victims escaped into the cover of the night. A 12-year-old boy is reportedly nursing injuries on his back after being whipped with a sjambok while an elderly woman partially lost sight after the suspects pepper sprayed her on the face.
She also suffered a swollen limb following the assault. Villagers who spoke to Chronicle said about half a dozen sustained injuries due to assault by the suspects.
They said the whole community is living in fear after the suspects, who are believed to have the skipped border to South Africa, threatened to come back and kill four people who are their main targets.
The issue dates back to December last year when the community hosted a soccer tournament, which resulted in running battles as the suspects accused some local youth of damaging their vehicle. A case of malicious damage to property was opened and the accused youths were found not guilty and acquitted after the court found no adequate evidence. The two suspects reportedly demanded cattle from the youths’ families.
Law enforcement agents reportedly intervened and ordered that the cattle be returned to their owners. Unhappy with the outcome, the two suspects went back to South Africa and returned last week armed with guns and sjamboks. They allegedly hired the six accomplices and ambushed the villagers.
Speaking on condition of anonymity out of fear, villagers who include some victims called upon authorities to protect them.
“They came at night and stormed all homesteads where the boys they fought with stay. After failing to find their target, they started beating everyone they found at each homestead. At one homestead they kicked doors and severely beat up a couple they found sleeping,” said one of the villagers.
“The husband managed to escape and they shot three times but missed him as he ran into in the dark night. They tortured his wife before going to the parents’ bedroom where they assaulted the mother who they also pepper sprayed before she became unconscious.”
The accused allegedly ransacked her bedroom hut and stole US$320 before force-marching her elderly husband saying they wanted him to accompany them to homesteads of the youth they were hunting for and allegedly assaulted him along the way.
They allegedly rounded up the villagers and force marched them to Mbotshwa village head Mr Tongayi Ndlovu’s homestead while assaulting them along the way.
Out of fear the victims offered to return the cattle and that is when their attackers stopped the assault.
They released the victims when Mr Ndlovu told them he could not attend to the case as it was in the hands of the police. Manguni Ward 2 Councillor Mthandazo Sibanda confirmed the attacks and said a community meeting had been set for today with community leaders.
“This issue has affected the whole area, which is now living in fear not knowing what can befall them. We will have a meeting on Monday with traditional leaders, police and other stakeholders to discuss various issues including safety of people and crime. It’s sad that people now have a tendency of using weapons and it’s fortunate that there were no deaths,” he said.
A report was made to the police and the injured were treated at Nkayi District Hospital. Villagers picked some spent cartridges in the morning and handed them over to the police. The suspects reportedly disappeared and they are believed to have gone back to South Africa from where they have threatened to return to kill some community members.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident and said investigations were in progress.
“I can confirm that we received a report of a case of two suspects who have been identified and six who are yet to be identified in connection with an incident that happened on 15 August in Nkayi,” he said.
“The case is in connection of a case of malicious damage to property traffic happened in December where an agreement was made and the other party reneged resulting in revenge, so we are conducting investigations,” said Commissioner Nyathi.
Commissioner Nyathi urged people to desist from using violence to solve disputes and said the law will take its course.
“People should not use violence to settle scores even if wronged. There are laws and there is no need to take the law into our own hands. Some people were injured some pepper sprayed and some robbed as money was stolen and the law will take its course,” he said.
