Bulawayo (New Ziana) – A 17-year-old Bulawayo student was stabbed to death on Thursday by another pupil during an altercation, city police have said.
Russel Nkomo was stabbed on the right side of the chest with an okapi, allegedly by Malvin Phiri, 18, at Magwegwe North Shopping Centre, and collapsed and died on the spot.
Police spokesman, Abednico Ncube said Phiri had since been arrested, and was assisting with investigations into the case.
According to police, Nkomo confronted his attacker for assaulting his friend sometime in the past.
This resulted in a fight in which, allegedly, Phiri knifed Nkomo on the chest, and fled.
“The now deceased approached Phiri and assaulted him once with an open hand on the face. The suspect produced an okapi knife and stabbed Nkomo on the right side of the chest and ran away,” Ncube said.
“The now deceased collapsed and died on the spot. A report was made to police leading to the arrest of the suspect. The okapi knife which was used to commit the offence was recovered.”
The body was conveyed to United Bulawayo Hospitals for postmortem.
When New Ziana news crew arrived at the scene, the deceased relatives were wailing uncontrollably while the lifeless body was covered with a red blanket. Members of the public were helping to cover the blood
with soil while police officers from the Homicide department were attending to the case.
In February this year, a form four pupil from Founders High died after a 16-year-old pupil from Hamilton High School stabbed him in a gang related fight.
Gang related violence among pupils from various schools in the city has become common lately.
New Ziana
