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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
A Zimbabwean man was last Thursday morning attacked and killed by two unknown assailants while walking along the New Limpopo Bridge.

The man, identified as Dennis Masera, who was employed as a mechanic by a trucking company on the South African side of the border, was reportedly attacked at around 5am.

Sources close to investigations said the man was employed by Central Africa Road Services (CARS) and was on his way to work when tragedy struck. “Indications are that he was attacked by two men while walking towards the South African border along the New Limpopo Bridge.

“He had a scuffle with his killers who wanted to rob him. The suspects later stabbed and threw him over the bridge. He fell on the tarmac on a patrol road along the border line,” said a source who preferred anonymity.

He said Masera broke his spinal cord and died instantly.

The assailants reportedly disappeared soon after committing the offence and the deceased’s body was taken to Musina government mortuary.

Both the police spokesperson for Matabeleland South Province Assistant Inspector Nkosilathi Sibanda and Limpopo police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said they were yet to get details on the incident.

Incidents of muggings of travellers by criminals on both the Alfred Beit and the New Limpopo bridges are common, especially at the night.

A few months ago, a South African police officer was attacked and disarmed by two unknown men while on patrol along the Alfred Beit Bridge.

Meanwhile, our Mutare Bureau reports that a Marange man who pushed his drunk friend at a bottle store resulting in his death the following day heaved a sigh of relief when he was handed a wholly suspended jail term by a High Court judge.

Kudzai Zhovha (36) of Dhaure Village under Chief Marange pleaded guilty to culpable homicide when he appeared before Justice Charles Hungwe last week.

Zhovha was facing murder charges, but he was acquitted and convicted of culpable homicide.

He was sentenced to three years imprisonment, which were wholly suspended for three years on condition of good behaviour.

In sentencing Zhovha, Justice Hungwe noted that the circumstances in his case were peculiar and that he had made a valuable contribution to the administration of justice by not wasting the court’s time.

He also stated that Zhovha had leant his lesson as he had spent a year in remand prison.

Justice Hungwe said Zhovha had already been punished for the untolerated sudden loss of life, even though he had no intention of causing the death.

Area public prosecutor Mrs Jane-Rose Matsikidze told the court that on March 8, 2016, Zhovha was drinking beer together with Casper Masasi at Kahwema Bottle Store at Masasi Business Centre in Marange.

“When Zhovha went outside to relieve himself, Masasi spilled beer on the floor and fell on Zhovha who then pushed him away. Masasi hit a hard surface on the rocky veranda with his head,” said Mrs Matsikidze.

Masasi died the following day and post-mortem results showed that he sustained a big crack on the skull and bled from inside.

He also had spinal injuries which were caused by the hard fall.