National

Victoria Falls man acquitted after punching father in fight over money

Published

2 years ago

October 19, 2022

BY AWAKHIWE KHUMALO

A Victoria Falls man who punched his father, inflicting him with a deep cut on the lips during a fight over money has been acquitted of domestic violence charges.

Thandazani Dube (26), who is mentally challenged, was acquitted by resident magistrate Godswill Mavenge after a full trial.

He had pleaded not guilty for assaulting his 59-year-old father whom he lives with in the resort city’s Chinotimba high density-suburb.

Prosecutor Portia Moyo said sometime in September and at Ellison Dube’s residency, Dube was embroiled in verbal fight with his father who wanted to spend his money without his consent.

As the argument got heated, Dube is said to have thrown a punch at his father and injured him on the lips so badly that he had to seek treatment.

Dube’s father told the court that it was never his intention to take his son’s money.

He said Dube became violent after he admonished him for not taking his medication. “Thandazani was no longer taking his tablets properly and l called the police to take him to hospital because he survives on the pills as he is mentally challenged,” the father said.

“He then ran away and the police did not find him at home, and he then came back later and attacked me.”

Dube, however, disputed his father’s version of events and said on the day in question he did not have any mental health challenges.

“When I came home after getting my wages at work my father tried to snatch my money and when l refused a fight ensued,” he said.

“When I tried to protect myself and my money, he hit me on my ribs with a tree branch and l felt a lot of pain.

“When I started to cry the police came in for me, but even now I still feel the pain, especially at night.”

The father said his son destroyed his cell phone after hitting against a tile.

In his ruling, Mavenge said it was clear that the two had a fight over domestic issues and went to acquit Dube of the charges.

National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

Published

1 day ago

April 16, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) locomotive suffered significant damage after catching fire while transporting export coal to Zambi. The incident occurred between Kalala and Matetsi sidings, resulting in the explosion of the locomotive’s fuel tanks.

According to the NRZ press statement on Monday, “A National Railways of Zimbabwe locomotive suffered some damages after it caught fire this afternoon while transporting export coal to Zambia.” Fortunately, the crew members on board managed to escape unharmed.

The NRZ responded swiftly to the incident, dispatching a rescue train with crews to the site. The team successfully extinguished the fire, preventing further damage. However, the locomotive itself sustained considerable damage.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, with investigations currently underway. “Investigations are already underway to establish the cause of the fire and the amount of damage to the locomotive,” the NRZ statement read.

National

Ranger killed by elephant in Kariba

Published

1 month ago

March 14, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A 62-year-old ranger, Josphat Mandishara, was tragically killed by an elephant in Kariba yesterday.

Mandishara, who worked for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), was on patrol in the Gatche-gatche area with fellow rangers and police officers.

At around 10 pm, Mandishara returned to the harbor where their boat was docked, and that’s when he encountered the elephant. The elephant charged at him, causing fatal injuries. His colleagues were nearby, resupplying at the Gatche-gatche Irrigation Scheme.

Mandishara’s body was taken to Kariba District Hospital for a post-mortem, and the incident was reported to the police.

ZimParks has sent a team to manage the problem elephant and prevent similar incidents in the future.

The Director General of ZimParks, Prof. Edson Gandiwa, and his team have sent condolences to Mandishara’s family, friends, and colleagues. Mandishara will be remembered for his dedication to wildlife conservation in Zimbabwe.

National

ZIMRA customs officer appears in court for criminal abuse of office

Published

2 months ago

February 3, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

A Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) customs officer, Phillip Kuvenga, has been accused of criminal abuse of office for allegedly assisting in the importation of banned motor vehicles.

Kuvenga, 28, who is stationed at Victoria Falls, allegedly received documents from clients, completed valuation sheets, and carried out the valuation process. However, he is accused of endorsing different chassis numbers to deceive his supervisors during the validation and approval process.

After obtaining approval, Kuvenga would capture the correct chassis numbers in the ASYCUDA World System. He would then alter or replace the documents submitted earlier to his supervisors.

The offense came to light when a motor vehicle that had not yet arrived in Zimbabwe was found to have been already registered. A thorough check by ZIMRA led to Kuvenga’s arrest.

Kuvenga appeared in court on February 1, where he was denied bail by Magistrate Gift Manyka. He is expected to appear in court again today for another bail hearing.