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Andile Tshuma, Chronicle Reporter

AN 88-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo suffered a broken collar-bone and multiple fractures after about 10 men armed with a gun, axes and iron bars attacked him at his home in Nkulumane 12 suburb demanding cash.

The incident happened on Saturday at around 7PM. Mr Tedious Dibula was rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital after the suspects took turns to batter him when they failed to find cash at his house.

The assailants left Mr Dibula for dead with a pile of 50 kg fertiliser bags and planks heaped on his back.

Family members said the gang was looking for “a substantial amount of money that had already been used to buy a big asset”.

They declined to give more details. Mr Dibula was with his grandchildren when the armed men pounced. 

When The Chronicle arrived at the home, the family was still shaken. 

One of his grandsons, Mr Zibusiso Zondo (18), said he was preparing supper for his grandfather when the suspects gained entry into the house.

“I had just gone outside to fetch something and the doors were not yet locked at 7PM. Thereafter I started cooking supper and suddenly the house was full of armed men. One had a gun, another had an Okapi knife while the rest had axes and iron bars. I counted over 10 men all in all in the house. They ordered all of us to shut up and demanded money. They said they would not kill anyone if we co-operated and let them do their job,” said Mr Zondo. 

“The money that was in the house was long gone as it had already been used for its intended purpose so they were late. It appears someone had tipped them off about the money”. 

He said the suspects blind folded his grandfather and assaulted people in the house. They ordered us to help them look for the money. 

“They ransacked the house and tossed furniture around. They wanted to search the wardrobe but it was locked and they chopped it into pieces with an axe. We are very devastated,” said Mr Zondo.

Mr Dibula’s daughter, who is Zibusiso’s mother, said she could not come to terms with how people could attack a frail 88-year-old man.

“Having an elderly person go through that kind of trauma in your hands is just inviting curses on your life. It’s a bad omen. We just thank God that our lives were spared and that the robbers got away with nothing. We pray for a speedy recovery for our father,” said NaZibusiso, who declined to give her full name. 

“They kicked us, and dragged my father to the wardrobe and demanded money. They forced him to kneel and he was struggling, so they savagely beat him up”. 

The suspects, she said, left in a huff apparently thinking they had killed the elderly man.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident and urged the public to expose criminals. 

“We are dealing with a case of attempted robbery that occurred in Nkulumane suburb on Saturday evening. We urge communities to work together with the police and expose criminals living among them. Criminals do not come from Mars but they live right here among us. It is wise to tip off the police because you do not know where and when they will strike next,” said Insp Ncube. 

The Chronicle could not interview Mr Tedius Dibula, who was discharged from Mpilo yesterday, as he was still unwell and not in a position to speak to the media.

Doctors discharged him from hospital as they said his collarbone could not be fixed. The family said they were now living in fear. 

“We are now living in fear. These things are getting more frequent,” said Mr Zondo. 

The family said the gang of robbers is suspected to be linked to the group that raided two homes in Tshabalala suburb on Friday where a businessman was shot three times.

—@andile_tshuma