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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
FIVE patrons were stabbed and had to be rushed to a Bulawayo hospital following a free-for-all brawl at Nkulumane’s Mqombothi Night Club, allegedly over a woman.

It is alleged that Bongani Sibanda (20) attacked four fellow patrons after one of them spoke to a woman that he was hanging out with.

There was blood everywhere and patrons stampeded to safety when a seemingly possessed Sibanda attacked everyone on Thursday around 11PM.

Sibanda is said to have stabbed Nqobani Moyo (20), Givemore Ndlovu (29), Tony Ndlovu, also in his 20s and Mobelete Ndlovu, a female patron aged 40 in the scuffle.

One of his victims allegedly stabbed him as well so he had to share an ambulance with them as they were rushed to hospital.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango yesterday said the five had been arrested and were under police guard at Mpilo Central

Hospital where they are receiving treatment.

“We arrested five people for public violence which occurred at a local nightclub in Nkulumane suburb. I don’t have finer details on what caused the violence. But we want to urge members of the public to shun violence and exercise restraint whenever they have differences,” she said.

Chief Insp Simango said police will continue their patrols as they seek to maintain peace in the country.

A source who was at the night spot said Sibanda was also stabbed as the nightclub turned into a “slaughter house with blood everywhere.”

The source said Sibanda bled profusely as bystanders even turned against him.

“I don’t know how the violence started but what I know is that one of the guys menacingly attacked other patrons. It seems their brawl was over a woman.

He (Sibanda) became violent when one of the guys spoke to a woman that he was hanging out with at the night spot,” said the source.

He produced a knife and stabbed one of the guys and the situation quickly deteriorated into a no-holds-barred fight. “Some people tried to intervene to calm the situation but he went berserk stabbing anyone in sight.

“A female patron sustained a swollen head, and had bruises on her face, while Givemore was stabbed in the back and Moyo was stabbed on the right arm. Tony was stabbed on the right arm,” said the source.

“His victims overpowered him and stabbed him and he was profusely bleeding. At some point I thought he would die but fortunately some people called an ambulance which took them to the hospital.”

The source said police officers who are deployed at a nearby Zimbabwe Electoral Commission polling station restored order.

He said the Mqombothi Nightclub was forced to close for the night. — @nqotshili