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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

THE trial of a man who allegedly fatally stabbed a Nyamandlovu farmer, Cde Steward Sweet Sweet, with a screw driver before shooting him in the head has been deferred to next year.

 Cde Sweet, a Zanu-PF member who was aged 56 at the time of his death in March, was allegedly killed about three kilometres away from his farm in Nyamandlovu, Matabeleland North.

His alleged attacker Martin Chipande (37) allegedly used the deceased’s personal pistol to shoot him to make it appear as if he had committed suicide.

A passerby discovered Cde Sweet lying dead on the road with the pistol in his hand, according to court documents.

Cde Sweet had visited Chipande’s place of residence during the day on March 26 to collect a debt which the accused owed him.

He returned at night intending to see the accused person’s stepdaughter, Beatrice Moyo, who was aged 18 when a misunderstanding ensued as Chipande accused him of being a thief, resulting in the murder. 

Chipande of Number 15 Vusanani Co-operative, Umguzane Farm in Umguza, was supposed to appear for murder during the Hwange High Court circuit which ended on Friday but the matter was rolled over to next year.

“The matter had been set for this term but however, due to time, the State would like to apply that it be rolled over to the March 2020 circuit,” said prosecutor Ms Memory Munsaka.

Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Thompson Mabhikwa granted the application meaning Chipande will now be tried next year.

He is in custody.

Chipande indicated that he would want to apply for bail saying his two minor children were alone after his wife passed away.

Justice Mabhikwa advised him to follow bail application procedures.

Allegations against Chipande are that on March 26 at night, he stabbed Cde Sweet several times in the head with a screw driver following a dispute in which he accused the deceased of being a thief.

It is alleged that Cde Sweet had entered Ms Moyo’s bedroom when Chipande confronted him.

Cde Sweet allegedly left the homestead going to his farm and Chipande allegedly mobilised some neighbours Mr Soul Dube and Mr Ngqabutho Nyoni and followed him. 

Cde Sweet was found dead in the morning about a kilometre away with head injuries and a gunshot wound.

A pistol was in his hand.

Justice Mabhikwa also deferred six other murder cases to next year as they could not be heard during the circuit’s two weeks sitting.—@ncubeleon