By A Correspondent- A man from Chidobe outside Victoria Falls town has been hospitalised with fractured ribs after he was assaulted by a neighbour.

Mr Lungisani Weza (41) of BH36 under Chief Mvuthu had confronted his neighbour Fanuel Sibanda (40) about a herd of cattle that had grazed his maize crop.

Sibanda allegedly responded by assaulting Mr Weza with a knobkerrie on the ribs.

The incident, which happened last year, only came to court this week as police were still carrying out investigations.

Sibanda pleaded not guilty to assault when he appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Ms Rangarirai Gakanje. He told the court that he acted in self-defence after Mr Weza confronted him armed with an axe and a log.

“I was about to drive my herd of cattle away when he followed me carrying a log and axe. He hit me once on my left shoulder and that is when I snatched the log from him,” said Sibanda. The magistrate remanded Sibanda out of custody on his own cognisance to February 27.

Prosecuting, Mr Onias Nyathi said the two neighbours had a misunderstanding after the complainant’s cattle strayed into the accused’s field.

“On 7 January 2019, Mr Weza went to his field around 5pm to drive out the accused’s herd of cattle that had strayed into the field. Upon arrival, he saw the accused and questioned him why he was leaving his cattle feeding on his crops. The accused person went on to assault the complainant by striking him several times on the head and the ribs using a knobkerrie,” said Mr Nyathi.

He said Mr Weza suffered three broken ribs and sustained a swollen left hand.  He was taken to  Victoria Falls Hospital before being transferred to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo. Sibanda was arrested after a report was made to the police.

-StateMedia