HLANGANANI – Two residents of Ribungwane Village, Lawrence Chabalala (21) and Thomas Nkuna (33) will each spend the next three years behind bars for assault.

The matter was finalised in the Hlanganani Magistrate's Court last Thursday.

The case is related to an incident that took place at Ribungwane settlement in the Hlanganani area during the night of last December 7 at about 22:15. The court heard that the complainant was walking in the street during the night of the incident.

He met Chabalala and Nkuna along the way. They were going in the opposite direction. A chilling argument ensued between the complainant and the accused. The bone of contention could not be established. During the ordeal the accused hit the complainant on the head with a sharp instrument.

The complainant was rushed to the nearby Ribungwane clinic. The seriousness of the injury compelled the clinic medical staff to transfer the victim to Elim hospital. The matter was reported to the police the following morning.

The accused were arrested two days after the incident. They appeared in the same court for the first time two days after their arrest. The victim is a 32-year-old man. Chabalala and Nkuna were not given an option to pay a fine.