Elinciya Witman
Patson Chatifa, 42, is accused of murdering Haifa Chiyangwa, 26, at Flames Bar in Mkoba 10, Gweru, around 10 PM. The incident occurred when Haifa intervened in an argument between Patson and another patron at the bar.
According to reports, Tariro Chifamba was blocked by Patson while returning from the restroom. Haifa approached them to urge Patson to step aside for Tariro, but the situation escalated when Tariro pushed Patson.
He fell while holding a bottle, which broke upon impact. Patson then got up, grabbed a shard of the broken bottle, and stabbed Haifa before fleeing the scene.
The following morning, Patson was arrested, and the broken bottle was recovered. Tariro testified in court that she pushed Patson, causing him to fall and break the bottle.
She witnessed him rise, stab Haifa on the right side of her neck, and flee.
“I grabbed him by his jacket and pushed him, and he got up holding a broken bottle.
He stabbed the deceased and ran away. We tried to call him back, but he disappeared into the dark,” Tariro stated.
Tariro’s account is corroborated by witnesses Mecklyn Chikwanda and Felistas Chikwenda. Medical reports indicate that Haifa died from hypovolemic shock, neck vessel laceration, and a neck wound caused by the broken bottle.
In his defense, Patson denied stabbing Haifa, claiming instead that she fell onto the broken bottle while trying to pull him up from the ground. He stated that he checked on Haifa, saw that she was bleeding less, and then went home.
“I did not stab her. She fell on the broken bottle while trying to lift me. I checked on her, saw she was bleeding less, and then I went home. I did not flee the scene.”
The Magistrate noted that the court could not accept Patson’s argument of culpable homicide.
The evidence presented, including eyewitness testimonies and medical reports, indicates an intentional act of violence resulting in death. The trial of Patson Chatifa is ongoing, and the court has yet to deliver its verdict.
