The Sunday News
Fairness Moyana in Hwange
A 22-year-old Lupane man who brutally axed his 17-year-old girlfriend leaving the axe stuck into her skull following a misunderstanding over a missing cellphone had his age to thank after he escaped the death penalty.
However, he was sentenced to 35 years in jail for murder with actual intent. Vusumuzi Ncube of Janjanja Village, Jotsholo in Lupane brutally attacked his girlfriend, Florence Ngwenya with an axe in the presence of their eight-month-old baby before leaving the murder weapon stuck into deceased’s left jaw.
It is further understood that after the brutal murder Ncube set one of the houses on fire before fleeing.
He was convicted of murder with actual intent and sentenced to 35 years imprisonment by Bulawayo High court judge, Justice Maxwell Takuva during the Hwange High Court circuit last week.
Passing judgement, Justice Takuva said Ncube had his age to thank as he was a likely candidate for the death penalty describing the murder as brutal and premeditated.
“The court has taken into consideration that you are a first offender and youthful. However, in aggravation the court is shocked by the brutality of the murder, it’s difficult for one to imagine that another human being would do that, leave an axe embedded in the body of a victim. There was an element of premeditation and you murdered a minor. The law says you are a candidate for the death sentence.
“However, because of your age the law grants discretion to impose death, life or imprisonment of not less than 20 years.
“This court has seriously considered the death penalty as a result of the cruelty you exhibited in your conduct.
“There is fear that if you go back to the civilised society you will repeat and say an evil spirit had possessed you.
“There is a need for rehabilitation coupled with retribution as usually young people change. We realise that you need another chance of reforming hoping that the sentence will teach you not to behave in that manner,” said Justice Takuva.
Ncube who was represented by his pro deo lawyer, a Mr Nare of Dube, Nkala and Company claimed that he had accidentally struck his girlfriend with the axe as they fought for control over it.
The court heard that on 16 July 2018 at around 8am, Ncube and the deceased were at Petros Sibanda’s homestead where they reside.
The two had a misunderstanding over a cellphone leading to Ncube assaulting his girlfriend with a stick before head-butting her. She fled to her grandmother’s homestead with Ncube in hot pursuit before he brought her back after they seemed to have reconciled.
Later during the day other family members left the homestead on different errands.
However, when they came back they were greeted with horror as they found the deceased’s eight-month-old baby crying next to his mother’s lifeless body.
She was lying in a pool of blood with an axe left embedded on her left jaw.
They also found one of the houses on fire with Ncube having fled the homestead. Miss Memory Munsaka appeared for the State.
