GWERU – High Court Judge Martin Makonese has set free a 29-year-old Chiwundura man who murdered his younger brother’s wife by striking her with an axe. The judge, in agreement with the State counsel, ruled that the accused, Anthony Zvoushe, was mentally unstable at the time.
It was the state’s case that on 9 December 2009, the now deceased Letwin Muremba, aged 18, was doing laundry at their homestead. She asked Zvoushe to fetch her some water but he delayed, leading to a misunderstanding during which he picked an axe and struck her twice on the forehead and she fell to the ground.
He then carried her to his bedroom where he struck her several times on the head until her skull was crushed. He locked the door and disappeared, only to be arrested after the deceased’s husband, Henry Zvoushe discovered the body and made a police report.
After considering a medical examination by psychiatrist Elena Poskotchinova at Ingutsheni Hospital on Zvoushe’s mental condition, Judge Makonese said he should be returned to Hwahwa Prison for treatment and assessment.
Zvoushe had previously attempted to murder his uncle by setting fire to him in January 1998. He escaped from Gokwe General Hospital where he had been referred for mental treatment. – Brenna Matendere
8 years for murdering mother
GWERU – Witness Sibanda (46) of Munago Village in Mberengwa will spend the next eight years behind bars after a High Court judge found him guilty of killing his mother. State prosecutor Shepherd Mafa told the court that the deceased, Siphephetiwe Mpesi, had a misunderstanding with her husband Garai Mpanza on 12 December 2006.
His son tried to resolve the dispute, but the mother failed to contain her temper which resulted in another conflict. In a fit of rage Sibanda threw a brick at her and it struck her in the abdomen causing internal injuries of which she later died.
Sibanda, represented by lawyer Wilfred Mehlo, told Judge Martin Makonese that it was not his intention to kill his mother. “I had sincerely approached her so that they could make peace but she then provoked me,” he said.
“On the charge of murder I found you not guilty. However I find you guilty of culpable homicide and accordingly sentence you to eight years in prison,” ruled the Judge. – Brenna Matendere
Probe team unearths corruption at VRDC
VUNGU – A local government probe team has accused Vungu Rural District Council Chief Executive Officer, Wellington Ngulube of fraud, maladministration, habitual neglect of duties and usurping of ministerial powers.
The administrator allegedly failed to remit $10,553 that had been given to him for council operations. He is further accused of withdrawing $1,880 from council on the basis that he wanted to travel to Abuja, Nigeria on official business.
“It is doubtful that… Ngulube went to Abuja because he failed to show us his passport stamped by the immigration department in Zimbabwe and authorities at any airport in Nigeria,” reads part of the report dated December 12.
The document also points out that Ngulube usurped ministerial powers by employing officers Sarah Chibuku (24) and Tanaka Maheru without approval of the local government ministry as prescribed by the law.
The probe team also noted that the law was further flouted in the recruitment of the two ladies because Provincial Administrator Cecilia Chitiyo was not part of the interview panel.
Ngulube was also found guilty of abusing ZINARA funds, whose total value is not mentioned in the report.
Council chairperson Celton Charamba has suspended Ngulube pending a disciplinary hearing where he will give his side of the story. Part of the letter seen by The Zimbabwean reads:
“I hereby suspend you from duty with immediate effect without pay. In terms of Statutory Instrument 15 0f 2006, I have good cause to believe that you are guilty of the following acts of misconduct- Theft or Fraud, you failed to account for $3,200 given to you for payment of legal fees to Danziger and Partners. You are also suspended for gross incompetency or inefficiency, wilful disobedience to a lawful order, habitual neglect of duty.”
Ngulube was not available for comment. Sources said the net should be cast wider to expose other corrupt councillors.
“There is reasonable ground to believe that some councillors may have connived with Ngulube. How come the issues had to be unearthed by an outside team when the councillors operate there day in day out?” said an inside source. – Brenna Matendere
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