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Ashley Phiri, [email protected]

AN 18-year-old man from Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park suburb died on the spot on Tuesday evening after being stabbed once in the chest by a close friend over an undisclosed issue.

Thabani Tshuma was stabbed with a kitchen knife by Melusi Dube, who fled from the scene and is still on the run.
Bulawayo provincial police deputy spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, confirmed the incident and said the matter was under investigation.

“On the fateful day at around 7pm, the now deceased’s father sent him to buy some vegetables. Thabani Tshuma left the house and within a few minutes, his father heard him screaming outside and went to check what was happening,” said Asst Insp Msebele.

“He saw him running towards the house with the accused person in hot pursuit holding a kitchen knife and he fell into the open soak-away pit.”
Asst Insp Msebele urged the public to resolve their differences peacefully and warned people not to take the law into their own hands.

“It’s disheartening that such a young life has been lost in such a way. We appeal to anyone with information that may assist in the location of Melusi Dube to report at any nearest police station,” she said.

A Chronicle news crew visited the Tshuma family yesterday where Thabani’s grief-stricken relative, Mr Fidzani Ndebele, narrated their son’s last moments.

“He went to buy vegetables and I heard someone hailing obscenities at him when he went out of the yard. I checked what was happening and saw his friend Melusi holding a big kitchen knife and threatening to stab him,” he said.

“I then realised that Thabani had already been stabbed in the chest and was losing consciousness. Blood was gushing from his chest and he only took a few breaths and died in my hands.”

One of the neighbours, Mrs Kudzai Odera, also expressed shock over Thabani’s violent death at the hands of his friend.