Dispute Over Mbanje: Award-winning Zimdancehall Chanter Jailed For Life Over Murder
Award-winning Masvingo dancehall chanter Elias Chimbuya (26) popularly known as Dudemaster has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Tafadzwa Chiumba (35) over a twist of dagga.
Masvingo Mirror reports that Justice Mawadze of the High Court in Masvingo said Chiumba was slaughtered like an animal and described the murder as heartless in his three-hour-long judgment. He attributed the action of the accused to drug abuse.
What transpired:
Chimbuya together with an accomplice, Adonia Moyo (28), stabbed the deceased several times and hit him with 17 bricks on the head until they crashed his face.
The two mutilated the deceased’s manhood and cut it with a knife until they left it hanging on thin skin. All this was over a US$0.50 twist of mbanje.
Chimbuya and Moyo told the court that they were intoxicated and had been smoking dagga.
In his ruling, Justice Mawadze said Chiumba bought a twist of mbanje from the accused for US$0.50. He produced a US$5 note and his attackers got upset when he asked for his US$4.50 change. Said Justice Mawadze in delivering judgment:
The inhuman conduct is cruel and even animals killed for meat are not slaughtered in such a manner. The deceased only bought a sachet of dagga from you and he even paid for it. You could have slapped him in the face or run away as you claimed in your testimony. Authorities should look into drug abuse because most heinous crimes are being committed by drug-abusing youth.
The incident happened on July 15, 2021, at Zambezi Bar at Dunira 1 Mall, Victoria Ranch where the three were drinking beer.
