A 28-YEAR-OLD Gwanda man who stabbed a fellow villager with a knife over a cigarette will spend the next eight years in jail after being convicted by Gwanda regional magistrate Joseph Mabeza. PERPETUAL PHIRI OWN CORRESPONDENT
Barha Nyathi of Zhakwe area in Guyu had pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Decent Sibanda (17) of the same area when he appeared in court.
Nyathi was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but two years were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
Prosecutor Johannes Tlou told the court that on December 25 2013 at around 9pm both Nyathi and Sibanda were at another villager’s homestead listening to the radio.
Nyathi then approached Sibanda asking for cigarettes, but was turned down.
Nyathi left and later returned armed with a knife and stabbed Sibanda once in the chest.
Sibanda was taken to hospital and the matter was reported to the police, leading to Nyathi’s arrest.
“Your worship, I committed this offence because I was trying to defend myself as the complainant and his friends were advancing towards me trying to attack me. More so, I only stabbed him using a nail cutter,” Nyathi in mitigation, said.
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Mabeza told Nyathi that he should have solved his problems with Sibanda amicably than attacking the complainant.
“You landed yourself in trouble Nyathi because you are facing a serious offence of attempted murder and what makes this offence serious is that you used a knife, a dangerous weapon,” Mabeza said.
