A 38-year-old Gokwe man was yesterday convicted of killing his ex-wife and sentenced to 10 years in jail by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Mafios Cheda sitting in Gweru.
STEPHEN CHADENGA OWN CORRESPONDENT
Garai Siatemba struck his ex-wife Anna Mpofu on the head and several times in the ribs with an axe leading to her death in 2009 after suspecting that she had had an extra-marital affair with his younger brother when they were still married.
Justice Cheda found Siatemba guilty of murder with actual intent, but said he considered extenuating circumstances in that the accused had caught his ex-wife twice in a compromising position with his brother. The court could not ignore that he was offended when he committed the murder, the judge said.
The court also considered that the accused was incarcerated for four years in remand prison since 2009 when he was arrested.
However, Justice Cheda said the courts did not condone people who take life and therefore a deterrent sentence was necessary.
“We cannot lose sight that a life was lost,” Justice Cheda said before passing sentence.
Prosecutor Tafadzwa Mpariwa said on June 4 2009, Siatembe of Madenyika village under Chief Nemangwe in Gokwe South, met Mpofu, who was from fetching water.
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He attempted to stop Mpofu saying he wanted to talk to her, but she told him to follow her. Siatembe remained behind, but later caught up with Mpofu and struck her on the back of the head with an axe and struck her several times in the ribs after she collapsed.
Mpofu died on her way to Sasame Baptist Clinic.
