Mentally disturbed man kills grandfather

Published: 2013 November 15 19:04:46 (4649 Views)

A mentally challenged man from Lupane District who six years ago arrived home undressed and fatally struck his octogenarian grandfather sending other family members scurrying for cover heard voices telling him to kill his family for bewitching him.

Ngqabutho Sibanda (37) used a wooden stool and concrete block to kill his octogenarian grandfather by striking him on the head while his was undressed.

A report from a psychiatric doctor, Dr Elena Poskotchinova in respect of Sibanda of Shabulanyana area stated that he started having mental problems in 2007 and would mention names of those he said bewitched him.

"He displayed delusion of persecution, believing his neighbour who borrowed money from him and did not want to pay back wanted to kill him.

"He admitted his crime and said he relapsed a week before the fateful day when he started to hear voices which explained to him that he had been bewitched by five people, a neighbour, his wife, brother, father and grandfather-and they wanted to kill him," read part of the report.

It further stated that Sibanda claimed that a voice gave him an instruction to remove his clothes and go away from home and return the following day-which is why he came with no clothes on with the intention of killing his grandfather and a neighbour.

"In my opinion there is a reasonable possibility he was suffering from mental schizophrenia paranoid when he committed the offence and is dangerous to society. He needs a special verdict," said the psychiatric doctor.

Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese, with Mr Mathias Munzabwa and Mr Tolani Elias Ndlovu agreeing, retained a special verdict on him and committed him to Mlondolozi Special Mental Institution in terms of the Mental Health Act.

He said the court was convinced that Sibanda was suffering from mental disorder when he committed the offence.

Miss Namatirai Ngwasha from the Attorney General's Office narrated how on 26 February 2008, an undressed Sibanda started punching other family members with fists.

Sibanda turned on a helpless old man who was sitting on a wooden stool under a tree shed and punched him on the face sending him face down.

He picked the stool and struck him with it once on the head. His uncle Mr Petros Ncube who was milking cows in the kraal came running to rescue the elderly man but also met the wrath of Sibanda who chased after him.

Mr Ncube managed to pick a stick which he used to whip Sibanda.

Sibanda then picked a concrete block resulting in Ncube fleeing-while he used the block to once again strike the old man on the head and he died on the spot.

Sibanda's sister Mrs Julia Ngwenya confirmed to the court that Ncube died on the soot after being hit by Sibanda. Mrs Chengeto Somerai Hadzirabwi represented Sibanda pro deo.

- Zim Metro

Tags: Mentallydisturbed, kills, grandfather,

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