Thugs in reign of terror

News
RESIDENTS at the Methodist Village on the outskirts of Bulawayo are living in fear of thugs that have invaded their settlement and attack people in the bushy area between the village and Old Pumula high-density suburb.

RESIDENTS at the Methodist Village on the outskirts of Bulawayo are living in fear of thugs that have invaded their settlement and attack people in the bushy area between the village and Old Pumula high-density suburb. JUNIOR MOYO OWN CORRESPONDENT

According to villagers, about five people have been attacked by criminals in the past week. The thugs would be armed with axes, knives, stones and truncheons and moving in groups of three or four.

Villagers who spoke to Southern Eye on Saturday expressed concern over the attacks saying they were contemplating taking the law into their own hands as the police were not doing enough to apprehend the thugs.

“As the youths of this village, we are planning to consult our village chairman and hunt down these thugs because nothing has changed after a recent police patrol. Instead it’s becoming worse,” Butho Nkomo said.

A village elder Geshom Mhlophe said the increase in criminal activities could be as a result of the recent amnesty granted to some convicts as there was very little crime in the area before.

President Robert Mugabe pardoned more than 2 000 convicts in February in a move aimed at decongesting the country’s overpopulated prisons.

Mhlophe said the criminals attacked at any time of the day and people were now afraid of travelling to nearby suburbs with possessions as this could trigger an attack.

“Recently a man was attacked and his bicycle taken away while last (Friday) night a villager was attacked and his groceries taken away. You will be attacked for even $1,” Mhlophe added.

A recent victim of the thugs, Maxwell Sibanda, said he was admitted at Mpilo Central Hospital after being attacked in the bush.

“I wish the police could conduct a massive patrol to catch the criminals because what happened to me was a horrible experience,” Sibanda said.

“I was beaten in the head with a baton stick, stabbed on the arm and stomach by three men who just wanted my satchel and Nokia cellphone.”

A student Mike Ncube lost a blazer and satchel with books to the criminals, but they didn’t assault him.