Crimes and Courts
GWERU – Two men who abducted and bludgeoned a prominent Lower Gweru businessman to death using a donkey cart as their escape vehicle were sentenced to 27 years in prison on Friday, closing a seven-year legal saga that horrified the Midlands community.
Trust Khoza (34) and Hloniphani Nyoni (36) were convicted of the June 2018 murder of Choice Ncube, a beloved local entrepreneur, in a revenge attack stemming from a 2017 grudge.
Gweru High Court Judge Justice Emilia Muchawa described the crime as “premeditated savagery that turned a rural bar into a slaughterhouse.”
A Night of Terror
According to prosecutors, the pair ambushed Ncube at Folomani Bar in Masa Business Centre on June 26, 2018. Nyoni, armed with an axe, allegedly confronted Ncube over an unresolved dispute before patrons disarmed him. Undeterred, the duo dragged Ncube outside, forced him into a donkey-drawn cart, and transported him to an isolated area.
“For five hours, they subjected him to unimaginable torture—beating him with logs, sticks, a knobkerrie, and a rubber whip,” said National Prosecuting Authority (NPAZ) spokesperson Jacquiline Sandi.
“Villagers heard his screams but feared intervening.”
By dawn, Ncube was found naked, swollen, and barely alive. He died en route to Gweru Provincial Hospital from severe internal injuries.
Community Shock and Swift Arrests
The murder sent shockwaves through Masa, with locals describing Ncube as a “pillar of the community.” Police, aided by neighborhood watch groups, arrested Khoza and Nyoni within hours as they attempted to flee.
“This was not just a murder; it was a grotesque spectacle of vengeance,” said Detective Inspector Tawanda Marufu, who led the investigation.
“The donkey cart, a symbol of rural life, became their tool of terror.”
Justice After Seven Years
Delivering the sentence, Justice Muchawa condemned the “barbaric disregard for human life,” noting the calculated use of isolation to prolong Ncube’s suffering.
“You turned the cover of night into a weapon. Society demands retribution,” she declared.
The 27-year terms drew mixed reactions. Ncube’s widow, Linda, told reporters:
“No sentence will bring him back, but at least our children know his killers won’t walk free.”
Legacy of Vigilante Violence
The case has reignited debates over rural dispute resolution.
“This tragedy shows how unchecked grudges fester into violence,” said Midlands Community Watch coordinator Samuel Dube.
“We need better conflict mediation systems.”
Prosecutors hope the ruling deters vigilante acts. As Sandi stated:
“The law will hunt you down—whether you flee in a Ferrari or a donkey cart.”
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