adminPost Correspondent
A ZIMUNYA man who appeared in court last week over his friend’s murder will spend the next 20 years behind bars after being sentenced on Wednesday. Luke Jazi had pleaded not guilty to killing his friend and neighbour, John Changana, but was found guilty after a full trial. In sentencing him, High Court judge, who was on circuit in Mutare, Justice Charles Hungwe, said: “Though there are no eye-witnesses who can relate how the murder occurred, the State has proven beyond reasonable doubt that you are guilty.
“Your threats to Samuel Rakabopa; coupled with your disappearance from the village, betrays a guilty mind.
“Dr Kasongo’s post-mortem report shows that the deceased sustained injuries after you struck him with a log, twice on the head and once on the shoulder. You killed an innocent man in an extremely brutal manner and had no right to do so.”
The court heard that on August 27, 2011, the late John Changana was drinking beer with his neighbour, Samuel Rakabopa, when Jazi arrived in the company of Blessing Maganzo.
Rakabopa left the three together and went to his homestead because he was drunk and wanted to rest.
When they were drunk, Changana and Jazi had a misunderstanding, which ended up in a fight.
Jazi grabbed a log which he used to strike Changana three times on the head.
In the process of the fight, Jazi pushed Changana into a 20-metre deep disused well and he died.
Rakaboba testified that the accused had threatened to “deal with him” for telling the police that he had been left at Changana’s homestead when Rakabopa decided to go home and rest.
Realising that he had killed his friend, Jazi fled and was later arrested in Burma Valley in 2013.
Changana’s body was taken to Mutare Provincial Hospital mortuary.
The post-mortem report done by Dr Kasongo showed that Changana had succumbed to a compound skull fracture and lacerations on the forehead.
Ms Jane-Rose Matsikidze prosecuted.
Online Reporter