Man murdered at initiation ceremony over seating arrangements

An argument over seating arrangements led to a 23-year-old manning fatally stabbing a 26-year-old man at Ilinge township, near Queenstown in the Eastern Cape on the afternoon of December 31.

According to a police statement, a “misunderstanding about seniority in the seating arrangement resulted in the murder of a 26-year-old man”.

“It is alleged that both the suspect and the deceased were attending an initiation graduation traditional ceremony at Mzamo Section, Ilinge Township outside Queenstown on Wednesday, 31 December 2019 at about 4.30pm”, said Captain Jackson Manatha.

“There was a misunderstanding about the seating arrangement of the two men aged 23 and 26. The other one was claiming to be the senior to the other. Both men left the house, which was full of people. It is alleged that the 23-year-old suspect fatally stabbed the 26-year-old man on his upper body.”

The suspect has been arrested and charged with murder. He is expected to appear at the Ezibeleni Magistrate’s Court near Queenstown on Thursday.

The identity of the deceased is still being withheld at this stage, according to the police.

(Compiled by Daniel Friedman)

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.