A 33-year-old man from Binga is appearing in a Bulawayo courtroom accused of cracking a teen’s skull in a feud over a wheelbarrow. Shepherd Mudimba stands charged with a brutal assault on his 18-year-old colleague, Tafadzwa Nkomo, following a dispute that began with a simple request for a wheelbarrow.
The incident, which unfolded on 23 September, began when Mudimba asked the younger Tafadzwa Nkomo to fetch him a wheelbarrow. According to the prosecution, what should have been a routine interaction quickly spiralled into a confrontation. Prosecutor Jethro Mada outlined the events that followed, stating,
“Mudimba picked up a spade and hit Nkomo once on the head, near the forehead.” The force of the blow was severe, causing a significant wound. Mada confirmed that “The complainant reported the matter to their employer, who rushed him to hospital,” where the situation was revealed to be gravely serious.
ALSO READ: Duo Slapped With 45-Year Sentences For Murder Of Prison Officer Dumped On Railway Tracks
The young man required an immediate operation to drain blood that had accumulated beneath his scalp, a procedure necessitated by the force of the impact.
Man Cracks Teen’s Skull In A Feud Over A Wheelbarrow
In the wake of the attack, two starkly different accounts of the altercation were presented before Magistrate Taurai Manwere. The accused, Shepherd Mudimba, offered a justification for his extreme actions, pointing to a verbal provocation. He claimed,
“I just asked him to bring a wheelbarrow. Instead, he started insulting me.”
Mudimba insisted that the teenager’s behaviour was the true catalyst, alleging that the insults continued until Nkomo himself allegedly escalated the situation physically.
“He kept quiet, then started again saying I always look down on him,” Mudimba told the court, adding, “That’s when I lost it. I grabbed a spade and hit him once on the head.”
However, the complainant’s version of events paints a picture of an unprovoked and sudden assault. Tafadzwa Nkomo directly contradicted Mudimba’s claims, stating that his response to the request was entirely reasonable. He explained,
“He accused me of disrespect and before I could finish explaining, he struck me on the head with a shovel.” Nkomo also detailed the ongoing physical toll of the injury, revealing to the court, “I still feel pain and itching on the scar.” He expressed his own confusion over the violent reaction, simply stating, “I don’t know what made him so angry. It was just a wheelbarrow.”
ALSO READ: South African Police Hunt Armed Gang After Deadly Delta Bus Robbery
Mudimba is remanded in custody until 23 October pending further investigations. The legal process is only just beginning.
Follow Us on Google News for Immediate Updates
The post Man Cracks Teen’s Skull In A Feud Over A Wheelbarrow appeared first on iHarare News.
