A 38-year-old man from Bulawayo has been brought before the courts after allegedly assaulting a young neighbour, claiming he believed the child was a goblin.
Senzile Nyathi, of Mabutweni suburb, appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Jeconia Prince Ncube facing a charge of attempted murder. He was remanded in custody and is expected to return to court on 8 January.
According to court documents, the incident occurred on Christmas Day at around 10pm. The complainant, a juvenile, was reportedly playing in an open area close to his home when Nyathi approached him.
Prosecutors allege that Nyathi, who was intoxicated at the time, shouted in IsiNdebele, “Nangu undofa,” which translates to “Here is a goblin.” He then allegedly picked up the child and slammed him to the ground three times.
The child sustained a head injury and was rushed to hospital for treatment. A report was later made to the police, leading to Nyathi’s arrest.
Teenager Faces Attempted Murder Charge in Separate Case
In a separate incident, a 19-year-old man from Tsholotsho also appeared before the same court on charges of attempted murder after allegedly stabbing his neighbour on Christmas Day.
Mengezi Ookeditse Masuku was remanded in custody until 9 January.
Court records state that at about 9pm, near Zulukandaba Primary School in Entumbane suburb, Masuku became involved in a dispute with Brighton Dahwa (25) over an undisclosed issue.
The disagreement allegedly escalated, resulting in Masuku producing a knife and stabbing Dahwa three times on the back. The victim was taken to hospital for medical treatment, and police later arrested Masuku following a formal complaint.
