A Zimbabwean man was charged with murder after stabbing a person to death during a dispute over payment to illegally cross the border into South Africa.

Luckmore Mabvanya, 21, also appeared before magistrate Dennis Mangosi.

Mabvanya, of Dulibadzimu in Beitbridge, left home with four Zimbabweans, intending to illegally cross into South Africa and they each paid him R400.

They met the now deceased in a bush leading to South Africa who demanded R200 to allow them to pass.

Mabvanya paid the money and was allowed to pass and dropped off his passengers at a Shell Service Station in South Africa.

Mabvanya used the same route back to Zimbabwe and met the now deceased who confronted him saying he had underpaid him earlier and wanted him to top up another R200.

An altercation ensued and Mabvanya stabbed him with a knife in the chest and escaped.

When Mabvanya heard about the death, he fled to Epworth in Harare where he was arrested after a tip-off.