Landlord Removes Tenant’s Eye Over US$3 Rent Arrears
10 August 2021
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By A Correspondent- Brian Karemba (40) says he will forever regret the day he rented a room at Gift Kazembe who turned villain and gouged out his eye over US$3 rent arrears.

This comes as some landlords are also reportedly evicting tenants who test positive for Covid-19.

Karemba was renting Kazembe’s house in Mkhosana and in May his monthly due was short by US$3.

He told his landlord that he did not have the money as he was struggling as he was no longer working.

Kazembe (44) allegedly used a log to attack his tenant and injured his eye in the process.

Kazembe has been charged with attempted murder following the June 5 incident.

Victoria Falls magistrate gave the case a longer remand to next month owing to Covid-19 regulations and to allow Karemba to heal after doctors removed the eye on June 17.

“It was around 11 PM when he got back from Shoestrings night club and he came to my room where he asked for his outstanding rentals. I told him that l did not have enough money as I was short with US$3,” Karemba told the court.

He said this did not go down well with Kazembe who picked a log and started assaulting him. He also punched him several times.

Karemba was injured on the face and head and sustained a deep cut on the left eye.

Karemba was rushed to Victoria Falls Hospital and was transferred to the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) where he was admitted until being operated on to remove the eye on June 17.

Sithabile Daka prosecuted.

The case comes amid complaints in Victoria Falls about tenants who have been evicted by their landlords after testing positive for Covid-19.

Acting Hwange District Medical Officer Fungai Mvura said the Covid-19 taskforce had been flooded by reports of landlords willy-nilly evicting tenants who test positive.

“This puts pressure on health facilities because some people will be having mild symptoms and not requiring hospitalisation and to be put in isolation centres,” she said as she appealed to residents to stop victimising and discriminating against each other on the basis of Covid-19