BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI
A Lupane man broke into a neighbour’s bedroom before axing him to death in his sleep without any provocation.
Matabeleland North police say the suspected killer, Gilbert Ndlovu (33), might be suffering from a mental illness.
Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda told VicFallsLive that Jerrot Sibanda (61) from Deka village was found dead in the early hours of October 21 by his son Bhekimpilo.
Bhekimpilo met the blood soaked Ndlovu outside Sibanda’s homestead after he had committed the heinous crime.
“On October 21 at around 6AM, the accused person who is suspect to have a mental illness went to the deceased’s homestead armed with an axe and forced himself into the bedroom hut where the victim was sleeping,” Banda said.
“The accused then struck the deceased twice on the head as he slept and sustained two deep cuts and after the gruesome act, he exited the room leaving the victim bleeding profusely.
“After walking about for 50 metres, the accused met Bhekimpilo (the son of the deceased), who noticed that the accused had blood stains on his clothes and was still armed with an axe.”
Banda said when Bhekimpilo tried to inquire why Ndlovu was armed with an axe and had blood stains on his clothes, the accused threatened to kill him.
“As Bhekimpilo ran away, he tracked the accused’s footprints which led to his father’s bedroom hut and when he got in, he found his father lying in a pool of blood and already deceased.”
Ndlovu was apprehended by neighbours, who handed him over to the Lupane police station.
Ndlovu has been charged with murder but is yet to appear in court.