The Harare Magistrates’ Court was the scene of a dramatic hearing this week, as a young man, Wesley Eroyi Shoniwa, stood accused of attempted murder.
The alleged motive? A love triangle involving his mother and popular Zimdancehall chanter, Ras Pompy who is allegedly enjoying lula lula almost daily with his mother.
Shoniwa who is a resident of Mbare appeared before magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa facing serious charges. The state alleges that on Monday, Shoniwa stabbed his uncle, his mother’s brother, on the shoulder with a knife.
According to the prosecution, the attack was sparked by the uncle’s attempt to intervene in a heated confrontation between Shoniwa and his mother. Shoniwa is accused of verbally abusing his mother, fueled by anger over her alleged affair with Ras Pompy.
The courtroom was filled with tension as Shoniwa, when asked if he understood the charges against him, vehemently denied the state’s version of events. He insisted that the situation was far more complex, a tangled web of family drama and betrayal.
“We are here because my mother is sleeping with Ras Pompy,” Shoniwa declared.
“How can she sleep with someone of my age when she can easily find someone her age to sleep with?”
The revelation of a romantic relationship between Ras Pompy, a well-known figure in the Zimdancehall scene, and Shoniwa’s mother, a woman significantly older than the musician, was a bombshell dropped in the court.
“Everyone in the neighbourhood has been laughing at me over this issue. Her boyfriend is my friend, and he’s way younger than my mother. So when my uncle asked me about it, taking her side, I was infuriated and stabbed him,” Shoniwa continued.
Shoniwa’s confession laid bare the depth of his anger and resentment. He felt betrayed by his mother’s actions, humiliated by the gossip circulating in their community, and enraged by his uncle’s perceived support of his mother’s relationship. The stabbing, he claimed, was a desperate act born out of a cocktail of emotions – betrayal, humiliation, and rage.
The court proceedings were adjourned, with Shoniwa remanded in custody until the next day for bail considerations. The case has sparked widespread interest and debate, with many questioning the role of Ras Pompy in the unfolding drama.
Some have expressed sympathy for Shoniwa, acknowledging the emotional turmoil he must be experiencing. Others, however, have condemned his actions, emphasizing the seriousness of the attempted murder charges.
