A 22-year-old gold panner has been handed a significant prison sentence for a brutal axe attack on a fellow villager. The violent incident, which occurred at a remote gold mining settlement, left the victim with severe and life-altering injuries. Proud Mathe, from the Chief Jahana area, was sentenced to five years behind bars by Bulawayo Regional Magistrate, Mr Lungile Ncube, after being convicted on a charge of attempted murder.
The court was told that the accused and the complainant, Bongani Mpofu, were not related but hailed from the same village and were of a similar age. The scene of the crime was the Claremont 26 Mine, where both young men were engaged in the arduous work of gold panning. The peace of the mining camp was shattered on the night of 30 March 2025, when Mathe embarked on his violent mission.
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Details of the brutal attack
The prosecutor, Mr Jethro Mada, presented a harrowing account of the events to the presiding magistrate. He detailed how, at approximately nine o’clock in the evening, Mpofu was fast asleep in his room, completely unaware of the danger approaching. Without warning, Mathe entered the room armed with a deadly axe. In a sudden and unprovoked frenzy, he launched his attack on the defenceless, sleeping man.
Mr Mada stated,
“The accused person struck the complainant once on the head and the upper part of the left eye with an axe.”
The force of the blow was devastating, immediately inflicting grievous harm. The prosecutor went on to confirm the severe consequences of the assault, noting,
“As a result, the complainant sustained a serious head injury and a significant injury to his eye.”
Gold Panner Sentenced To 5 Years In Prison After Attacking Friend
Following the attack, a report was swiftly made to the Zimbabwe Republic Police, which triggered an investigation and led to Mathe’s subsequent arrest. Meanwhile, Bongani Mpofu required urgent medical attention and was formally referred to a hospital for a comprehensive assessment and treatment. The medical report compiled by physicians would later serve as crucial evidence in the case, cataloguing the true extent of the damage caused by the axe.
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The successful prosecution and the resulting five-year prison term have brought a measure of justice for the victim. The sentence handed down by Magistrate Ncube sends a clear message about the severe consequences of such violent acts, even in the often-lawless environment of informal gold mining camps.
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The post Gold Panner Sentenced To 5 Years In Prison After Attacking Sleeping Friend With Axe appeared first on iHarare News.
