adminMan to hang for murder
Court Reporter
A man from the Ndolwane area of Bulilima District who brutally murdered a nine-year-old boy and burnt the body was yesterday sentenced to death.
Michael Goodluck Sivako Nleya (45) pleaded not guilty to murder, but was convicted of murder with actual intent by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Lawrence Kamocha sitting with Mrs Isabel Mashengele and Mr Stanley Hadebe as assessors.
The court found no extenuating circumstances in the case in that he killed a defenceless child without any provocation.
The court heard that the boy was a son of Nleya’s former girlfriend, whom he accused of dumping him for another man.
Prisoner escapes from Mutimurefu
Walter Mswazie
A prisoner serving for a stocktheft case reportedly stole and slaughtered a goat before escaping from Mutimurefu Prison, 30km outside Masvingo Town.
The prison is located along the Masvingo-Mutare Road.
Police and prison officers have since launched a manhunt for Charles Tizirai, an A class prisoner from Zaka District, who was serving a 15-year jail sentence and was due to complete his term in June next year.
Rainy season begins mid-November: Met dept
Makhosi Sibanda
THE Meteorological Services Department yesterday said the rains being experienced in Bulawayo and some parts of the country do not signal the onset of the rainy season.
The department said the rainy season is likely to start in mid-November.
Senior meteorological officer Mr Jonathan Chifuna said prior to the onset of the rainy season, it was common to have rains, but these did not indicate that the season had started.
President challenges Africa on energy
Takunda Maodza
in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
PRESIDENT Mugabe has challenged Africa to invest in the energy sector to overturn the energy deficit in many countries.
Zimsec dispatches new O-Level exam papers
Pamela Shumba
THE Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) has dispatched new Ordinary Level examination papers to replace the ones that went missing recently amid reports that the Government is yet to take disciplinary action against the acting headmaster who lost the papers.
The acting headmaster of Sijawugwe Secondary School, which is located in the Siganda area of Bubi District in Matabeleland North Province, Mr Panganai Zimunhu (31), allegedly lost the examination papers while on his way from Bulawayo to the school.
In an interview yesterday, Zimsec chairman Professor Norman Maphosa confirmed that the 13 papers had been dispatched to the provinces ahead of the examinations, which start on Monday.
“The examination papers for the six subjects that were withdrawn by Zimsec last week have been distributed to the provinces and we have not had any problems so far,” said Prof Maphosa.
Copac conference ends in deadlock
Harare Bureau
The Second All-Stakeholders’ Conference ended in Harare yesterday with delegates failing to agree on nearly all contentious issues contained in the draft constitution produced by the Constitution Parliamentary Select Committee in July.
Civil servants backtrack on strike
Chronicle Reporter
CIVIL servants who had threatened to go on strike today if their employer failed to meet them to discuss salaries and conditions of service have backtracked on their decision.
Satanists cleansing ceremony hits snag
Court Reporter
THE owner of the stand where residents of Cowdray Park in Bulawayo intend to hold a prayer meeting on Saturday against Satanism is threatening legal action.
Mr Martin Dube, the chairperson of Basic Commodities Association the owners of Stand Number 1975, Cowdray, through Mr Sindiso Shepherd Mazibisa has warned all those who agreed to hold the prayer meeting at the venue that they would be trespassing.
“We warn you and all those who agreed with you that no trespassing will be tolerated at Stand Number 1975 Cowdray Park, Bulawayo. Be well advised,” reads the letter addressed to the councillor for the area, Councillor Collet Ndlovu.
Tobacco exports to China increase
Harare Bureau
ZIMBABWE’s tobacco exports to China have increased by 21 percent from 31 million kg last year to 40 million kg this year.
Speechifying on UN reform yields nothing
Dancase B Gideon
AS well as making a compulsive statement that the United Nations must be reformed today, the 67th UN General Assembly leaves no one under the illusion that member states speechifying in New York will one day somehow cause the needed UN reform.