A 27-year-old man from Shurugwi in the Midlands Province will spend the next 25 years behind bars after he fatally stabbed his friend during what began as a playful wrestling game.
The convict, Brighton Taruvinga of Donga Stands, Chachacha, was found guilty of murder by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Munamato Mutevedzi, who was presiding on circuit in Gweru. The ruling brought an end to a case that shocked the local community, highlighting how a moment of youthful banter spiraled into irreversible tragedy.According to state prosecutor Mr Talent Tadenyika, the incident occurred on August 2 this year at Chachacha Business Centre, a popular trading spot in Shurugwi.
The deceased, Farai Nyerebani (30) of Marira Village, had been sitting at a gas filling booth with his colleague, Kossam Ncube, discussing mining activities when Taruvinga approached them. Known to each other, the two men began to wrestle playfully, as friends often do in moments of lightheartedness.
What began as harmless fun quickly turned violent. During the scuffle, Nyerebani accidentally broke Taruvinga’s nose. This, the court heard, triggered Taruvinga’s fury. Overcome with rage, he pulled a Columbia knife hidden in his trousers and viciously stabbed Nyerebani three times: once below the left hip, once above the waist, and once in the chest.
Bleeding heavily, Nyerebani staggered about six metres before collapsing. He was rushed to Shurugwi District Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead upon arrival. A subsequent post-mortem conducted at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) confirmed that he had died of haemorrhagic shock caused by multiple stab wounds.
Immediately after the stabbing, Taruvinga fled the scene, abandoning his wounded friend and the shocked onlookers who had witnessed the sudden eruption of violence. His escape was short-lived, however, as police launched a manhunt and eventually arrested him.
The state presented its case that Taruvinga had intentionally taken his friend’s life, arguing that the use of a lethal weapon in response to a broken nose far exceeded the bounds of self-defence or accidental harm.
Tragedy as Wrestling Game Ends in Stabbing Death
During the trial, Taruvinga denied murder and offered a limited plea of culpable homicide, admitting responsibility for the death but claiming he had acted in the heat of the moment without intent to kill.
Justice Mutevedzi, however, dismissed the plea, noting that Taruvinga’s decision to draw a knife and deliver multiple blows to vital parts of the body indicated a clear intention to cause death or serious injury.
“The accused cannot claim to have acted recklessly when his conduct demonstrated deliberateness,” the judge said. “He armed himself with a knife and directed his attack at areas of the body where vital organs are located. This was no accident — it was an intentional act of violence.”
In delivering the 25-year sentence, the judge emphasized the sanctity of human life, stressing that disputes or accidents, however heated, must never be resolved through deadly force.
The case has left residents of Chachacha and surrounding villages deeply shaken. Both Taruvinga and Nyerebani were known in their communities, and the senselessness of the crime has been difficult for many to comprehend. What began as a simple display of friendly wrestling, a common pastime in rural centres, ended with the loss of a young man’s life and another condemned to decades behind bars.
Community elders and local leaders have since urged young people to exercise restraint and avoid carrying dangerous weapons. “This tragedy teaches us the importance of anger management,” said one villager outside court. “Two families have been destroyed: one has lost a son forever, while the other must live with the shame of imprisonment.”
The incident also reignites concerns about the prevalence of knife-related crimes in Zimbabwe. Law enforcement authorities have repeatedly warned against the growing trend of individuals carrying knives and machetes in public spaces. While some do so for self-defence, the practice often escalates minor altercations into fatal encounters.
In rural and mining areas like Shurugwi, where disputes can easily arise over mining claims or personal disagreements, knives have become a disturbing feature of violence. Analysts argue that stronger public education campaigns, combined with community policing, are urgently needed to prevent similar tragedies.
For Nyerebani’s family, the conviction brings some closure but no comfort. A young life has been cut short, and they must now grapple with grief. For Taruvinga, the heavy sentence is a sobering reminder of how one impulsive act of rage can alter the course of a life forever.
As Justice Mutevedzi concluded, “Society must learn from this case. Human life is sacred and irreplaceable. No matter the provocation, resorting to knives or other deadly weapons will only result in pain, loss, and the full weight of the law.”
Source- Bulawayo24
