A family dispute in Chikanga suburb in Mutare ended tragically on Wednesday morning when a fight between three brothers resulted in the death of one.
What began as an attempt to “discipline” their 36-year-old sibling, Prince Dzotsera, escalated into a fatal assault, leaving two brothers, Emmanuel (32) and Peter (40), facing murder charges.
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, confirmed the incident, detailing the events leading up to Prince’s death.
“The fight started around 3am and continued until dawn, culminating in Prince’s death. The complainant, who is a tenant at the Dzotsera home, Mr David Muenzani tried to stop the three from fighting, but failed. He advised the three to solve their issues as a family. He left the room where they were fighting and went back to his lodgings. The fighting brothers went quiet for a while, and around 5am, the mother of the three siblings woke up Mr Muenzani, and told him that Prince had died,” Assistant Inspector Chinyoka explained.
The scene at the Dzotsera home hours after the incident was one of grim quietude. A broken television set, shattered glass, and other damaged household items lay scattered, silent witnesses to the night’s violence. Several onlookers milled around, their faces solemn as they surveyed the aftermath. The police had already transported Prince’s body to the mortuary.
Neighbours recounted a night of escalating violence, punctuated by shouts and cries for help. The brothers, according to witnesses, accused Prince of persistently disrespecting their mother, a long-standing issue that had apparently simmered for months.
Mr Muenzani, a tenant at the Dzotsera home, provided a chilling firsthand account of the events.
“We were sleeping in our room when we were awakened around 3am by the quarrelling brothers as well as noise from the household goods that were being thrown around. I heard Emmanuel and Peter yelling at Prince, accusing him of abusing their mother, and I decided to intervene,” he recounted.
However, his attempts at mediation were unsuccessful.
“The two brothers told me to leave them alone, saying it was a family matter. They said they had a right to discipline their errant brother. I tried to knock some sense in their heads, but they would not listen, so I went back to my room. Their mother even tried to intervene, but Peter told her that they were protecting her as she used to call him while at work in Bulawayo, telling him that Prince was assaulting her. Her mother left the brothers alone and went to her room. The noise stopped for a while, and I thought they had stopped fighting,” Mr Muenzani stated.
The violence, unfortunately, resumed hours later. “Around 5am, they started again. My wife begged me not to go out this time. She said it was too dangerous. We thought they would eventually resolve their issues. Shortly afterwards, their mother came to our window, crying and knocking, telling us that Prince had died,” Mr Muenzani said.
Upon rushing outside, he found Prince’s body lying on the ground, covered with a blanket, surrounded by a growing crowd. Mr Muenzani noted that he was the only tenant who attempted to intervene, citing fear of reprisal from the brothers as the reason for the inaction of the other eight families residing in the same house.
“The siblings are well-known for violence. Prince always abused their mother. Peter stays in Bulawayo, while the youngest brother, Emmanuel rents a room elsewhere as he was kicked out of the family home by the now late Prince. Peter and Emmanuel wanted to discipline Prince for his unbecoming behaviour of assaulting their mother, but tragedy struck in the process,” he explained.
Other neighbours corroborated the account of Prince’s troubled past, describing him as a problematic figure known for alleged theft and violence. However, they condemned the brothers’ actions, highlighting the tragic outcome of their attempt at discipline.
Ms Charity Katsande, a neighbour, commented, “He was not perfect, but no one deserves to die like that. It is heart breaking, especially for their mother whom they were fighting for.”
Emmanuel and Peter Dzotsera are currently in police custody, awaiting further investigations and their subsequent court appearance.
