A SHURUGWI gold panner recently went berserk and brutally murdered his friend by striking him with a machete several times on the head following a misunderstanding over beer before bolting in police handcuffs while being escorted by a police officer to court.
The incident occurred last week on Monday when a gold panner only identified as John attacked the now late Nhamo Mpanganyama with a machete near Zaoga Church in Shurugwi while he was on his way home from Makusha Beer hall.
A neighbour who declined to be named alleged that on the said date at around 9pm, John waylaid Mpanganyama near Zaoga Church in Makusha high density suburb and struck him with the machete on the head, removing his ear and cracking his skull following a misunderstanding over beer before disappearing in the dark.
“John went to where Mr Mpanganyama was drinking beer with his friends and kicked a container with their opaque beer. This infuriated Mr Mpanganyama who then slapped John twice on both cheeks.
“John went home and brought a machete and an iron bar which he used to attack Mr Mpanganyama. He escaped from the scene and left Mpanganyama unconscious and bleeding profusely lying on the ground. He sustained a cracked skull and his ear was severed,” he said.
The neighbour added that Mpanganyama was rescued by fellow patrons and took him to Shurugwi District Hospital where he was transferred to Mpilo Hospital as his condition was critical.
Fellow patrons who witnessed the tragic incident chased after John and effected a citizen’s arrest and force marched him to Shurugwi Police Charge Office where he was placed in the holding cells
“Fellow patrons helped Mr Mpanganyama and also dragged John to the police station. He was arrested the same night he committed the crime,” he said.
The neighbour further alleged that John later escaped from police custody when he bolted from police charge office while handcuffed. He was taken out of the cells as police were preparing to go to court.
Shurugwi police charge office is adjacent to the court and is secured by a security fence.
“John was with a female police officer in the charge office preparing to go to court for initial remand. He then escaped and ran away while handcuffed,” said the source.
Mpamanyanga’s son Prince confirmed that his father died after he was struck by a machete by a gold panner who later escaped from police custody.
“My father died at Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo due to severe head injuries he sustained when he was attacked by a gold panner on his way home after a beer drink. The suspect was arrested the same night but later escaped from police custody. We are suspecting foul play,” he said.
Acting Midlands police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende could neither deny nor confirm the incident.
“There is a murder case reported in Shurugwi but with different circumstances. However, we will furnish you with details once we receive them from the responsible station,” she said.