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Walter Mswazie, Masvingo Correspondent
A Chivi man who lost a fight in Grade Six, 11 years ago, took revenge by stabbing his rival to death.

Innocent Dube (23) of Befura Village allegedly stabbed Simbarashe Dziva (30) of Mliswa Village multiple times on the head, chest and abdomen with a home-made knife at Hoko Bottle store, at Ganyani business centre in Shurugwi on Thursday night.

Dube who is now on the run, allegedly flew into rage when he saw Dziva who he said often teamed up with his family members to bully him during his school days.

Witnesses said after the attack, Dziva staggered out of the bottle store while bleeding profusely from the stab wounds.

They said he wobbled for about 60 metres and collapsed.

Onlookers rushed him to Gweru General Hospital on Friday morning but he died later in the day while on a life support machine.

A businessman who is the owner of the bottle store, Mr Winterton Muvembi said Dube fled from the scene immediately after committing the crime and is still at large.

He said on a Thursday night, Dube saw Dziva who was watching a snooker game in his bottle store.

“The two had an argument and we initially thought it was about money,” said Mr Muvembi.

He said the argument heated up and Dube stormed out of the bottle store, locking it from outside.

“The enraged Dube hurled insults at Dziva threatening to kill him. He said Dziva and some of his family members had bullied him when he was in Grade Six. He said he was going to fix Dziva for beating him in a fight,” said the businessman.

Dube, Mr Muvembi said, ran away and returned a few minutes later armed with a knife.

“He confronted Dziva and I gathered courage to stand between the two as Dube appeared menacing,” said Muvembi.

He said Dube stormed out of the bottle store, picked up a stone, took aim at Dziva but missed.

Mr Muvembi said at this juncture he also scurried for cover leaving Dziva at the charging Dube’s mercy.

Dube, the businessman said, stabbed Dziva once on the head, three times on the chest and once on the abdomen before he took to his heels and disappeared in the dark.

“After realising that Dziva was seriously injured, I attempted to render first aid together with other shocked patrons. He however, asked me to let him go outside as he did not want to die inside the building.

“He staggered away but collapsed about 60 metres from my bottle store. I phoned police but they didn’t respond until I called the deceased’s relative in Harare.

“The relative organised transport and we rushed Dziva to Gweru General Hospital at around 3AM the following day but he died hours later while on life support,” said Mr Muvembi.

His body was taken to the hospital’s mortuary for post-mortem.

Acting Midlands police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende could neither confirm nor deny the incident.  “We’ve not yet received the report, you can check with me on Wednesday, ” said Asst Insp Mukwende.

@walterbmswazie