Boy (17) gets 3-year jail term

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A 17-year-old Lower Gweru boy who last year fatally struck his then 22-year-old mate with a knobkerrie following a row over cattle herding duties has been jailed three years for culpable homicide.

A 17-year-old Lower Gweru boy who last year fatally struck his then 22-year-old mate with a knobkerrie following a row over cattle herding duties has been jailed three years for culpable homicide.

Stephen Chadenga

The teenager was yesterday initially sentenced to six years in jail before Justice Martin Makonese sitting at the Gweru High Court Circuit set aside three years after considering his age.

The court heard that on April 10 2014, the deceased, Onisi Moyo of Malinga village under Chief Sogwala, Lower Gweru, drove his cattle to the grazing area hoping that the teenager would look after them since it was his turn.

When the juvenile arrived, he refused to herd the cattle, resulting in a heated verbal exchange.

The teenager then slapped Moyo once on the cheek before striking him once on the head with a knobkerrie. Moyo’s colleague, Ndumiso Moyo intervened and restrained them from fighting.

However, on his way home, Moyo started complaining of dizziness before he later collapsed and died.

On learning of the development, the juvenile surrendered himself to the police.

A post mortem report indicated that the cause of Moyo’s death was severe head injury trauma on the skull.