Bloody friendship
A MAN from Mpheni near Elim was denied bail by the Waterval magistrate's court when he appeared last Thursday in connection with the axing to death of a friend.
LIMPOPO – A MAN from Mpheni near Elim was denied bail by the Waterval magistrate’s court when he appeared last Thursday in connection with the axing to death of a friend.
Waterval police spokesperson, Const Cynthia Ndou, said Johannes Mutavhatsindi (55) was enjoying some traditional beer with his friend, George Manyatsha (62) in his house.
“Later, people saw Manyatsha lying face down in the ground near the accused’s house. He was struck twice in the head with an axe and died. The cause of the fight has not yet been established as they were the only two people in the house,” Ndou said.
“We have opened a murder case and confiscated his axe as evidence,” she said.
Mutavhatsindi will appear before court again on Friday.
The deceased’s niece, Nyadzani Ramalamula, said her uncle’s death had sent shockwaves throughout the community as the two men were friends. “We are planning to bury him on Saturday,” she said.
Ndou further said in a separate incident two weeks ago, Richard Chauke of Matiyane village, just 3km away from Mpheni village, allegedly set his girlfriend’s home, which consisted of three buildings, alight. Chauke went to his girlfriend, Tsakane Maphophe’s home in Valdezia and asked for money as it was her payday. “Maphophe (42), who works at a farm in Levubu, refused to part with her hard-earned cash. The unemployed Chauke (45) started a heated argument and Maphophe ran away from him.
“It is alleged that Chauke remained at the woman’s home and set all three buildings on fire. Everything was burnt to ashes including food, clothes, and her children’s school uniforms and books. We arrested him and charged him with arson. He is also due to appear before court on Friday,” Ndou said.
