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Wynne Zanamwe, Midlands Reporter
A Lower Gweru man allegedly killed his cousin by stabbing him on the neck with an Okapi knife in a fight over an empty beer bottle.

Police have arrested Herbert Ncube (28) of Mbombela Village for allegedly killing his cousin Velile Ncube (21) of Plot 44 Ruby Resettlement Ranch, Lower Gweru.

Herbert is expected to appear in court today.

The incident occurred on December 23 at a tuckshop where the cousins were drinking beer with Josiah Matarutse and Tinashe Moyo after slaughtering a cow to celebrate Christmas.

A source close to investigations said: “After slaughtering the beast, the four went to a local tuckshop to play snooker and drink beer. At around 5PM, a misunderstanding arose between Herbert and Velile over an empty beer bottle. Matarutse and Moyo thought it was petty and went home, leaving the cousins still arguing,” said the source.

It is suspected Herbert lured Velile out of the tuckshop and stabbed him on the neck.

Villagers who saw Herbert leave the tuckshop said he strolled away in such a manner that no one suspected he had killed his cousin.

Herbert, the source said, arrived home at around 10PM and started shouting at Matarutse, Moyo and his aunt Skhumbuzile Ncube.

“He showed them his bloodied hands and a blood-stained silver knife with two blades. His T-shirt was drenched in blood. He said he would kill anyone who did not take him seriously,” said the source.

The source said Herbert later produced Velile’s phone as proof that he was a killer and handed it to Moyo.

Relatives who spoke on condition of anonymity said Herbert ordered Moyo and Matarutse to get an ox-drawn cart ready to collect the beast they had slaughtered in the afternoon.

“Herbert was crying throughout the  journey. When they arrived they gave the deceased’s phone to his mother, Lenithah Ndlovu, who asked the whereabouts of her son. Herbert said they had left him at a tuckshop at Ruby Resettlement Ranch,” said a relative.

A passerby found Velile’s body in a pool of blood the following morning.

He had been stabbed on the neck with a knife and police arrested Herbert.

Efforts to get a comment from the Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Joel Goko were fruitless as he was said to be out of office while his mobile phone went unanswered.

@wynnezane