By Meditation Mposi
A man from Makuvaza Village, Chief Chitsa, Gutu has appeared before a Masvingo magistrate facing attempted murder charges for stabbing his uncle with a knife over roasted meat.
Energy Mushanyuri (28) pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Mgistrate Innocent Bepura for severely assaulting his uncle Absalom Madzikanga (53) on November 21, 2024 at Chitsa Business Centre in Gutu.
The state case according to prosecutor Liberty Hove is that on the fateful day Mushanyuri was drinking beer with Madzikanga at the business centre.
Mushanyuri then had an altercation with a security guard he had earlier asked to roast meat for him, who had asked him why he had eaten the meat before the security guard tasted it (kubvisa huroyi) as per Shona culture since he was the one who had roasted it.
As the security guard continued pestering him, Mushanyuri became angry and asked the security former to leave after which he threw a beer bottle towards him which then hit the wall.
Madzikanga then intervened with the intention of resolving the conflict but Mushanyuri turned to him and stabbed him once on the left cheek with an Okapi knife, telling him that he was actually the one he had been targeting.
Mushanyuri then left and went to another bar to drink leaving his uncle Madzikanga injured and bleeding, until he was ferried to Gutu Mission Hospital by well-wishers.
In his defence, Mushanyuri said Madzikanga ate his food without his permission and was calling his other relatives to come and eat the food. He said after refusing to stop eating his meat, Madzikanga even boasted, took off his shirt and punched his nephew thrice on the face.
It was then, according to Mushanyuri that he lost it, produced an Okapi knife and stabbed Madzikanga once on the left cheek in self-defense.
Mushanyuri was remanded in custody to February 6, 2025.
