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Thandeka Moyo Court Reporter—
A MAN from Makokoba, in Bulawayo allegedly mistakenly stoned his friend while trying to defend him from three men who were demanding earphones from him. Andrew Maseko, 19, allegedly struck his friend Lesley Mukomba by mistake, injuring his head in the process, resulting in him suffering memory loss.Maseko appeared before regional magistrate Sibongile Msipa-Marondedze facing attempted murder charges. He pleaded guilty.

He told magistrate Msipa-Marondedze that he struck Mukomba by mistake. “I admit that I hit him with a brick in a fit of rage. I was trying to defend him as he was being attacked by some men who were demanding earphones from him,” he said.

“He also tried hitting one of the men and missed and that’s when I decided to use a brick. I missed my target and it mistakenly struck my friend Mukomba and he fell down.” Msipa-Marondedze remanded Maseko out of custody to a further date as Mukomba who has since lost his memory is still recovering in hospital.

Prosecuting, Concilia Ncube, said on February 13 this year near Mkambo market in Makokoba, Mukomba met three unidentified men. “The men started demanding earphones from Mukomba and a misunderstanding erupted.

“Maseko found the men fighting Mukomba and one of the men kept demanding the earphones. Mukomba tried hitting him using hands and he missed,” said Ncube. The court heard that at that moment, Maseko drew closer and tried helping his friend from the heated argument over the earphones.

“Maseko then picked up a brick which he threw aiming at one of the men. The brick missed the man and landed on Mukomba’s head. He fell down immediately,” she said. Ncube said Mukomba sustained some head injuries and was immediately taken to Mpilo Central Hospital.

“Mukomba lost his memory as a result of the incident and is currently recovering from the hospital.”