Man sentenced for attempted murder after claiming disrespect; violent attack over USD$2 leads to five-year jail sentence

ZIMSPHERE 

BEITBRIDGE – Knowledge Mandimo (26), a resident of Kushinga Village in Chipinge, was sentenced to 36 months in prison by the Beitbridge Magistrates' Court for attempted murder. According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ), Mandimo attacked a 40-year-old man after accusing him of "disrespecting" him.

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The violent incident occurred on the night of September 11, 2024, at around 9:00 PM at Chinyamukwakwa Business Center. Mandimo confronted the victim, who was consuming alcohol at the time, and demanded they resolve the dispute outside the bar. 

As they walked towards Chinyamukwakwa Clinic, the confrontation escalated into violence. 

Mandimo struck the victim with a stone on the forehead, knocking him to the ground, and proceeded to stab him multiple times on the head with a screwdriver. 

After the brutal attack, Mandimo fled the scene, leaving the victim critically injured.

The victim managed to return home and inform his wife before losing consciousness. He was rushed to St. Peter's Hospital, where he was treated for severe head injuries. 

Mandimo was sentenced to 36 months in prison, with 12 months suspended for five years on good behavior. This means he will serve 24 months effectively.

In a separate incident, Tinotenda Bhandiroto (25) from Sakubva, Mutare, was sentenced to five years in prison for attempting to murder a man over a USD$2 debt. Bhandiroto appeared before the Mutare Magistrates' Court, where he was convicted of stabbing the victim after a dispute over the money.

The attack occurred on June 18, 2024, when Bhandiroto demanded that the complainant repay the USD$2 he owed. 

The victim informed Bhandiroto that he did not have the money, which enraged the accused. 

In response, Bhandiroto broke an empty beer bottle and used it to stab the victim once on the back of the neck and once under the chin, inflicting deep cuts.

Bhandiroto was sentenced to five years of effective imprisonment for the attack.

In both cases, the NPAZ emphasised the importance of resolving disputes amicably and urged members of the public to avoid violence.

The authority stressed that individuals should seek third-party mediation or other peaceful means to address conflicts, rather than resorting to physical altercations.