Zimpapers Logo

Emily Mbewe Court Reporter
A CROSS border transporter, popularly known as umalayitsha, viciously attacked his friend with a wheel spanner leaving him for dead as they drove in a funeral procession, a court heard yesterday.

Pius Ngwenya, 27, allegedly had a misunderstanding with Sifiso Moyo, 36.

The two jumped out of a Toyota Quantum they were travelling in while carrying weapons and threatening to harm each other.

Western Commonage magistrate Sibongile Msipa –Marondedze heard how Ngwenya was wielding a wheel spanner while Moyo was armed with a broken bottle.

He hit his friend at the back of the head and he fell unconscious, the court heard.

When Ngwenya realised his friend was not moving, he fled from the scene and escaped to neighbouring South Africa.

Police have failed to record a statement from Moyo as he has been unable to speak since the attack on May 7.

Ngwenya was not asked to plead to an attempted murder charge when he appeared in court.

He was remanded in custody to today for bail ruling.

The state opposed bail with the investigating officer Never Nkomo saying Ngwenya is a proven flight risk as he escaped to South Africa after committing the offence.

“Your worship I oppose bail because Ngwenya escaped and went to the neighbouring country after committing the offence, and up until today, Moyo cannot speak due to the attack. We have not been able to record a statement from him.

“Ngwenya committed the offence on May 7 but was only arrested on June 8, a month later, showing that he was not cooperating with the police.

“As the investigating officer in this matter, I had to go an extra mile to find him. I used his friends so that I could talk to him.

“What made him come back is that I told him to return so that l could help him negotiate with Moyo’s family.”

Nkomo told the court that even after Ngwenya came back, he refused to go to the police station and proposed that they meet somewhere else.

He said police laid a trap for Ngwenya and arrested him as he went to meet Moyo’s family.

Prosecuting, Mufaro Mageza said on May 7 at around 7PM, Moyo and Ngwenya proceeded to a funeral driving a Toyota Quantum.

“The two had a misunderstanding near Yonah Shops in Entumbane suburb and they both disembarked from the vehicle with Moyo carrying a broken glass and Ngwenya a wheel spanner”, said Mageza.

He told the court the two started pushing each other around before Ngwenya hit Moyo with the wheel spanner at the back of his head.

“Moyo fell unconscious and Ngwenya fled,” said Mageza.