A man’s housebreaking escapade ended tragically after he was hacked by his 50-year-old neighbour and later died.
The 50-year-old woman is said to have used a man-made bushknife to hack the burglar on his right arm in self-defence. The incident happened on Saturday at around 7:30pm at Ezenukeni near Bhunya.
Sources close to the matter said the 42-year-old burglar was a member of the Ezenukeni community whom they alleged had targeted the 50-year-old woman because she lived alone. The sources said before the man managed to forcefully enter the woman’s house, the latter heard footsteps circling around her house.
“She called out to him and ordered him to leave her home. However, he did not heed the orders but forcefully broke into her house,” said a source.
While inside the house, the brave woman is alleged to have fought the man who allegedly attempted to get close to her. It is alleged that during the scuffle, the woman managed to get her hands onto the man-made bushknife which she used to hack the intruder in his right arm.
“The hand was almost detached. Seeing that he could not have his way with her, the man fled the scene with the gaping wound in his arm,” stated a source.
Impeccable sources said the suspect bled profusely as witnessed by a trail of blood from the woman’s homestead to the intruder’s home.
“It appeared that when he reached home, he realised that the blood trail could expose where he had gone. He allegedly returned and attempted to conceal some of the bloodstains,” said another source.
Unfortunately for him, the suspect is believed to have gotten weaker due to excessive blood loss and he dropped dead. His lifeless body was reportedly found near his homestead.
Sources said what was puzzling was that the man only wore a jacket when he invaded the neighbour’s home. “His body was discovered wearing only a jacket, with no trousers or any other clothing underneath,” a source alleged.
Some residents claimed that the man had previously been linked to incidents of housebreaking and other criminal activities in the area. While expressing sympathy for his family, community members said they also understood that the woman may have acted solely in self-defence.
Residents noted that the woman lived alone and may have feared for her safety when confronted by an intruder inside her home.
Acting Deputy Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Inspector Mazwi Ndzimandze confirmed the incident where a 42-year-old man was found dead after being hacked by the owner of a homestead where he had broken into a house.
