18-year-old kills man over unprocessed tobacco

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A Silobela teenager who struck a man with an axe on the head after a misunderstanding over unprocessed tobacco was on Friday jailed for 12 years when a High Court Judge convicted him of murder with constructive intent.

A Silobela teenager who struck a man with an axe on the head after a misunderstanding over unprocessed tobacco was on Friday jailed for 12 years when a High Court Judge convicted him of murder with constructive intent.

By Stephen Chadenga

Nobert Moyo of Chief Malisa, Silobela was asked by the deceased, Busani Moyo to go and fetch tobacco from his (Nobert) grandfather, a request the accused did not comply with. The deceased slapped Nobert for failing to obey his orders. In retaliation the accused later returned with an axe and struck the deceased with it.

High Court Judge, Justice Martin Makonese said the teenager should be punished with a deterrent sentence for causing the death of the deceased over a minor issue.

It was the state’s case that on March 23, 2014 at around 7pm at village Mabutho, Chief Malisa, Silobela Busani met Nobert along the road.

Busani then asked Nobert to go to his homestead to collect unprocessed tobacco which was being sold by his (Nobert) grandfather.

When Nobert told Busani that cash was needed before he could get the tobacco, Busani got angry and slapped Nobert twice on the face before hitting him with a fist on the head. Nobert left for his home and returned with an axe which he used to strike Busani once on the head.

Busani collapsed and started to bleed profusely. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Donsa clinic