BULAWAYO
–
Police
in
Matabeleland
South
have
arrested
a
43-year-old
man
accused
of
killing
five
people
and
injuring
two
others
in
a
violent
rampage
in
Madlambuzi,
Bulilima,
on
Wednesday.
The
suspect,
Phamani
Sibanda,
described
by
authorities
as
a
mental
patient,
allegedly
attacked
villagers
using
a
Mopani
log,
a
blunt
object
and
a
sharp
weapon
while
moving
aggressively
through
Bellas
and
Central
villages.
Police
said
he
struck
seven
people
at
random,
killing
five
on
the
spot.
The
deceased
were
named
as
Elliot
Khupe,
101,
of
Bellas
Village;
Butho
Tshuma,
97,
of
Bellas
Village;
Constance
Sibanda,
66,
of
Bellas
Village;
Tiffan
Surprise
Ndlovu,
6,
a
female
juvenile
of
Bellas
Village
and
Catra
Matsika,
72,
of
Central
Village.
Two
female
survivors,
aged
90
and
41,
were
rushed
to
Madlambuzi
Clinic
and
Plumtree
District
Hospital
where
they
are
receiving
treatment.
Police
spokesperson
Assistant
Commissioner
Paul
Nyathi
urged
communities
to
ensure
that
mental
health
patients
are
referred
for
treatment
and
closely
monitored
to
prevent
such
tragedies.
“The
Zimbabwe
Republic
Police
implores
the
public
to
quickly
refer
mental
patients
to
medical
institutions
for
treatment
and
to
monitor
their
medical
process
and
general
behaviour
in
order
to
curb
violent
tendencies,”
Nyathi
said.
He
appealed
for
members
of
the
public
to
promptly
report
suspicious
or
violent
behaviour
to
the
police
via
the
National
Complaints
Desk
on
(0242)
703631,
WhatsApp
on
0712
800197,
or
at
their
nearest
police
station.
Sibanda
remains
in
custody
pending
his
court
appearance.