In a sad development, a 10-year-old boy from Bulawayo was left nursing his wounds after he was brutally attacked by a 32-year-old man for losing US$1 which he had given him to buy cigarettes.

Bukhosi Antony from Sauerstown suburb and in Grade Six at Hugh Beadle Primary School in Bulawayo, suffered a swollen face and bruises all over the body after he was savagely beaten by Shepherd Weale from Lobenvale suburb.

Weale is alleged to have slammed Bukhosi against the wall before he savagely assaulted him as punishment for losing US$1 he had given him to buy cigarettes.

He appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Shepherd Mjanja charged with assault as defined in Section 89 (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

He was, however, not asked to plead and was remanded out of custody on free bail,

It is in the States case that on the 2nd of  March 2021 and at around 3 pm the accused gave the complainant US$1 and asked him to go and buy him cigarettes.

The complainant complied and when he got to where he was supposed to buy the cigarettes, he was told that they were costing US$1,50.

However, on his return, the court heard that the boy lost the money. This didn’t go down well with the accused, who in a fit of rage grabbed him by his hand and dragged him into his house.

While in the house, Weale allegedly started assaulting him with open hands, fists, and booted feet all over the body. He is also alleged to have slammed the boy against a wall, resulting in him sustaining a swollen face and bruises all over the body.

The matter was reported to the police leading to Weale’s arrest and the boy was reportedly taken to hospital for treatment.