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Munyaradzi Musiiwa Midlands Correspondent
There was drama in Lower Gweru when relatives of an artisanal miner who was reportedly killed during a fight with a colleague, dumped his body at the assailant’s homestead while demanding compensation.

The incident occurred on Sunday evening at Dimbamhiwa Business Centre when Obert Tshuma (30) of Veto Village under Chief Sogwala in Lower Gweru was murdered by Cephas Sifelani (37) of Phakama village under the same chief following a misunderstanding.

A police source said on the fateful day at around 4pm, the now deceased Tshuma was seated under a tree at the business centre drinking beer in the company of his younger brother, Admire Tshuma, and a friend, Godfrey Moyo.

“The accused Cephas Sifelani and his friend Bhekimpilo Mlilo arrived at the business centre. Mlilo went to where the deceased and his friends were while Sifelani went into the bar to buy beer.

“Mlilo then slapped the deceased several times on the face for no apparent reason. A heated argument ensued between the two,” said the source.

The source said Tshuma’s brother, Admire, tried to restrain the two. “On realising that the three were quarrelling Sifelani charged towards them and he produced an Okapi knife and stabbed Admire once in the back. Sensing danger, the deceased started running away and was chased by the accused person. The deceased then slipped and fell down on his back.

“The accused then stabbed the deceased once in the right chest and once on the right thigh with the same Okapi knife he used to stab Admire. The accused person then took his bicycle and rode away leaving the deceased lying on the ground with blood gushing out of the wounds. The now deceased then stood up and staggered for some few minutes before falling down on his back,” said the source.

Following the attack, the source added, Tshuma started bleeding profusely and was rushed to nearby Nyama Clinic where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The source said Tshuma’s relatives immediately took his body and headed for Sifelani’s homestead while armed with machetes and dumbed the body demanding compensation.