The Sunday News
Lynnia Ndlovu,Sunday News Reporter
FOUR of the 14 Matshetsheni villagers under Chief Masuku in Gwanda District who were facing a charge of public violence after they attacked and destroyed homesteads belonging to the people they suspected of stealing their cattle were last Monday sentenced to a combined 21 years imprisonment.
Samson Tshabangu (53) was sentenced to six years in prison after Gwanda magistrate, Ms Sheila Nazombe gathered information from the investigations and witness testimonies that he was the ring leader of the mob.
The other three, Casper Ncube (43), Mthokozisi Dube (32) and Peter Mlilo (58) were each sentenced to five years of which one year was suspended for five years on condition they are not involved in the same crime.
In passing the judgment, Ms Nazombe said she considered all that they said in their mitigations, through their defence counsel, Mr Thompson Mabhikwa of the T J Mabhikwa and Partners.
“However, the crime that you committed is a serious offence therefore with a need to be judged thoroughly, more so Samson Tshabangu whom the court is convinced was leading the violent group, giving them orders. This will send a message to everyone outside who will wish to take the law into their hands. The offence is of great interest to many people so by giving you an appropriate sentence, people will learn,” she said.
“The accused are facing a serious crime which involves destroying and burning people’s homesteads. The courts should not be seen condoning such lawlessness but protect members of the society from people who take the law into their own hands. A deterrent sentence should be passed to send a clear message to would-be offenders that the courts do not condone violence.”
All the 14 villagers denied to have been involved in the burning of the mentioned homesteads. They claimed they wanted to attend a meeting which was called at Insindi. The State called eight witnesses who positively identified the accused and testified against them.
The court heard through prosecutor, Mr Tapiwa Magwede that on 1 June this year, the villagers acting in connivance with others who are still at large organised themselves and hatched a plan to destroy some homesteads at Insindi resettlement and expel the owners accusing them of stealing their cattle.
The court heard that they armed themselves with an assortment of weapons and they proceeded to the resettlement area at around 11 am where they arrived at Lovemore Moyo’s homestead and forcibly set fire on a two-roomed house and a thatched kitchen hut with other property worth $4 161.
They ordered Precious Noko, Moyo’s wife to completely vacate the area as her husband was a cattle thief. They also ordered her to accompany them to Sylvester Hogo’s homestead where upon arrival they destroyed house walls and property worth $1 100. They then proceeded to Marble Ndlovu’s homestead which is next to Hogo’s and burnt down houses and property worth $6 772.
