By James Muonwa, Mashonaland West Correspondent

A KARIBA fisherman who tortured his teenage uncle for two consecutive days leading to his sudden death is now battling for his own life in hospital after attempting to commit suicide.

Muzondiwa Brave Baureni (38), who is employed by Alfa Rose Company, reportedly gulped battery acid after realising he had killed 17-year-old Tatenda Manyanga over US$60 that went missing.

The boy died last Friday around 5pm at Makuyu fishing camp, Mola, Siakobvu in Kariba district.

Mashonaland West provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Margaret Chitove did not respond to an inquiry made by NewZimbabwe.com over the matter.

However, according to a police memorandum seen by this publication, on 29 January 2021 at around 5pm, a report of murder was received at ZRP Siakobvu through a phone call to the effect that Manyanga had died after he was assaulted several times all over his body with sticks by Baureni who fingered him for stealing US$60, which was meant to pay the latter’s workers.

“The accused person is nephew to the now deceased. On the 27th day of January 2021 at around 1500 hours, the now deceased visited the accused at Makuyu fishing camp since the two were uncle and nephew, respectively.

“After some hours at Makuyu fishing camp, the accused started accusing the now deceased of stealing US60 dollars which was in the temporary tent they use to sleep in when they are conducting their duties,” reads the internal police memo.

The boy repeatedly denied ever stealing the money, prompting his angry nephew to arm himself with sticks, which he (nephew) used to batter his youthful uncle threatening to kill him.

Further reads the memo, “He assaulted him several times on the back and buttocks. The informant (Zacharia Musiiwa) tried to refrain (sic) the accused from assaulting the now deceased but to no avail since the accused claimed that he was disciplining his uncle to stop stealing.

“The accused person took the now deceased and drove a boat to a nearby island in the Kariba lake and he tied the now deceased upside down on the supporting bars of the boat and assaulted him all over the body.

“He drove back to the harbor with the now deceased who was no longer able to walk or speak and made him to lie down in the tent.”

After realising how the boy was badly injured, Musiiwa advised the accused to rush him to Manyove Clinic for treatment but the accused refused and only bought some painkillers that he gave to the now deceased.

As fate would have it, the boy died in the tent two days later as a result of the assault.

Musiiwa reported the matter to ZRP Siakobvu.

On realising that he had killed his uncle, Baureni tried to take his own life by drinking battery acid.

He is admitted at Siakobvu Hospital while the deceased’s body was taken to Karoi District Hospital for postmortem.