Staff Reporter
Lower Gweru – A long-standing feud between two rival youth groups in Lower Gweru has escalated into murder after a 66-year-old man was brutally attacked and killed by a group of nine men wielding machetes and knives on the night of 8 March 2025.
ZRP Midlands spokesperson, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko, confirmed the incident and identified the deceased as Bornface Nkomazana of Butete Village, Chief Bunina, Lower Gweru.
“It was established that there is a grudge between Butete youths and Mambanjeni village youths over issues involving ladies of the night, some of whom were once married in Mambanjeni but are now allegedly in relationships with Butete boys,” said Inspector Mahoko.
According to police reports, Nkomazana was walking home from Lower Gweru Business Centre at around 11:00 PM when he was intercepted near an open space behind Maboleni Police Station. He was confronted and viciously assaulted by a group of about nine youths, believed to be from Matshina Village in the Mambanjeni area.
On the morning of March 9, at around 7:00 AM, Lovemore Sibanda (38) of Butete Village discovered Nkomazana lying in a pool of blood. Police officers from Maboleni attended the scene and observed that the victim had a broken right leg with a protruding bone on the ankle. He was rushed to Gweru Provincial Hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries on the way.
Preliminary investigations led to the arrest of three suspects—Thabani Ncube (19), Confidence Sibanda (20), and Mthulisi Ndebele (23), all of Jali Village, Chief Bunina, Lower Gweru. The remaining six suspects, identified as Thulisani Ndlovu, Takana Ndlovu, Denis Ndlovu, Peter, Sean, and Nqabutho, are still at large.
Police have also received three additional reports from Butete villagers who were assaulted in the same raid. “Some of the suspects moved from door to door in Butete Village, attacking residents,” Inspector Mahoko revealed.
ZRP is appealing to the public for assistance in locating and apprehending the remaining six suspects. “We urge anyone with information about the suspects’ whereabouts to report to the nearest police station,” said Inspector Mahoko.
The police continue to investigate the case while urging community members to resolve disputes peacefully and avoid resorting to violence.
