BY BRENNA MATENDERE
A MACHETE-WIELDING man last week went on a rampage and hacked a 40-year-old female vendor to death and left two other people seriously injured, police in Shurugwi have said.
The incident happened at a night club in the gold-mining town on Friday last week.
“Judith Ruzive died upon admission (at Gweru Provincial Hospital). Partson Bhenga and Chido Makanda are in a serious condition. Investigations are in progress with the suspect still at large. We urge people to respect the sanctity of life,” acting Midlands police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende said.
She said Ruzive was selling her wares outside Mzansi Night Club around 2am when she was approached by the suspect, Benjamin Chipatapata (26), who intended to buy some eats.
The suspect, who was visibly drunk, was holding an empty beer bottle which he mistakenly dropped. One of the patrons got incensed, picked up the broken beer bottle and stabbed Chipatapata on the left side of his chest, sustaining a small cut in the process.
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Chipatapata disappeared into the night and came back a few minutes later, armed with a machete, looking for the person who had stabbed him, but failed to locate him.
The suspect then charged towards the unarmed Ruzive and struck her with the machete several times all over the body. He went on to strike another female patron, Chido Makanda (30) from Makwasha suburb in Zvishavane, who was standing outside the night club. Chipatapata also struck another patron Partson Bhenga with the same weapon as he tried to restrain him.
The three victims were rushed to Gweru Provincial Hospital, where Ruzive died on admission.