Attacked for allegedly stealing neigbour’s cell phone

Vhonani Sibara (22) from Tshivhilwi-Tshifhungwi village was brutally attacked and killed last Monday. He was allegedly attacked by 12 members of the local community policing forum (CPF). The members of the CPF accosted him after he was accused of stealing his neighbour's mobile phone.

From what could be established, the CPF members initially forced him to return the phone to the owner. After he had returned the phone to its rightful owner, members of CPF allegedly tied his hands and legs and started beating him. This started at the gate of his home and continued to the headman's kraal. Apparently the rightful owner insisted that they should leave him alone since he had returned his phone. The group stubbornly resisted and claimed that they wanted to teach him a lesson.

An eyewitness, who is also a relative of the deceased, Mr Ndivhuwo Gundula, said the group started beating and kicking him at the gate of his home. “His clothes were torn and he was screaming out loud and complaining that they were killing him, but they continued,” he said.  He said women were screaming and calling for the group to stop beating him, but they continued.

Vhonani’s young brother, Thina Gundula, said when he arrived at home during the night he found them attacking him. “That was cruelty of the worst kind. Those people were many and I could not do anything to help and they were claiming that they were correcting him,” he said.

His family learnt about his death when the police visited them last Tuesday morning. “When I arrived at home late on Monday night, I did not find him and I did not ask as he used to come back home,” said his father, Mr ?Nthumeni Gundula. He insisted that the group was wrong and they shouldn't have taken the law into their own hands. “They must be convicted and brought to book. Will they support his children? Did they weigh up the damage they left behind?” asked Mr Gundula.

It is also alleged that members of the group were intoxicated when they beat the young man. It is said in the village that the group had chased all the Zimbabweans out of the area, claiming that they (the group) were maintaining the peace and curbing crime in the area. Apparently, some of the people were also admitted to hospital after allegedly being attacked by members of the group.

Vhonani is survived by his spouse, Ms Nkhumeleni Mailangombe, two children, his parents and his siblings. He was laid to rest at the village's cemetery on Sunday.

The police confirmed the arrest of 11 people but could not confirm whether they were members of the CPF. "They were remanded in custody until their next appearance," said Thohoyandou police spokesperson Constable Avhafarei Tshiovhe.

On Wednesday (March 5) at the time of our going to press, the suspects were still to appear in the Thohoyandou Magistrate's Court.

Date:07 March 2014

By: Phathutshedzo Luvhengo

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