RESIDENTS of ward 25, Nketa, Bulawayo, were left in shock after a man was reportedly killed by a friend over a US$6 debt.
According to witnesses, the victim and the suspect, who were friends, fought on Wednesday night.
Neighbours tried to intervene, but the confrontation turned fatal. The victim was allegedly confined in a locked room with the suspect’s girlfriend, who reportedly cared for him until he passed on.
“The suspect later went to the victim’s house after more than two days and told the mother that her son was unwell and asked her to collect him,” residents said. Allegedly, the suspect and an accomplice, who remains at large, bathed the victim and gave him clean clothes to wear to conceal the injuries.
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Nomalanga Msebele said she was unaware of the incident, but would seek more information.
Ward 25 councillor Aleck Ndlovu acknowledged hearing about the death and attributed it to the growing menace of drug and substance abuse in the community.
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“Drug and substance abuse is very dangerous and quite prevalent nowadays in our communities,” Ndlovu said, adding that lack of employment compounded the problem, leading youths to resort to drugs.
He urged residents to report drug-related activities through police toll-free numbers, warning that unchecked drug abuse will ultimately harm the economy.