adminWalter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
A POLYGAMOUS Masvingo man who hired a fellow villager and provided him with two iron bars to kill his son has been jailed for seven years. Adiel Matiyo, 64, of Village 5, Chipinda Resettlement area under Chief Chikwanda, ordered a hit on his son Joseph Matiyo, 30, after accusing him of causing discord in the family by accusing his father of witchcraft. Adiel paid Linos Paungwana $20, promised to pay him $40 more and offered to give him a cow once his son was killed.
The hitman developed cold feet and gave the money and iron bars to a member of the neighbourhood watch committee, who arrested Adiel. High Court Judge Justice Joseph Musakwa said Adiel deserved to be punished because he acted cruelly. He said while Adiel, husband to four wives and father of 25 children, said in his warned and cautioned statement that he asked Linos Paungwana to assault his son, not to kill him, the provision of dangerous weapons meant that he wanted his son dead.
Justice Musakwa said had it not been that Paungwana was a law abiding citizen, he could have killed Joseph. “The court found it appalling that the accused decided to devalue his son’s life to $60 and a cow. How can a normal father rate his own biological son that cheap?” asked Justice Musakwa.
The judge said the court was further dismayed Adiel wasted time by denying he had planned to kill his son. “You also falsely told the court that you had a dispute with Paunganwa over a non-existent bucket of maize. I wonder why you went to such an extent – wasting the court’s time by telling lies” he said.
Justice Musakwa said it was only fortunate that Paunganwa did not want to carry out the task and took the money and weapons to Mathias Musingarimwi, a member of the neighbourhood watch committee, leading to Matiyo’s arrest. Matiyo had pleaded not guilty to the charge when he appeared before Justice Musakwa on circuit in Masvingo sitting with assessors Elfas Gweru and Samuel Mutomba.
Justice Musakwa, however, convicted Matiyo and sentenced him to seven years in prison due to overwhelming evidence. Prosecuting, Elson Chavarika told the court that on April 17 last year, Adiel contracted Paungwana to kill his son, Joseph. “At around 2PM, Matiyo approached Paunganwa while he was coming from a beer drink at Mahoyo homestead in the same village and told him that he had an assignment for him,” said Chavarika.
“He asked Paunganwa to kill Joseph, his first born son, for causing discord in his entire family.” The court heard Adiel gave Paungwana two iron bars measuring 91,5 cm and 32 cm in length. “He handed the two iron bars to Paunganwa for use in the execution of the task before giving him $20. The money was part payment for his services,” Chavarika said.
Adiel, the court heard, promised Paungwana the balance and a beast after he had killed Joseph. The court heard how Paungwana surrendered the money and iron bars to Musingarimwi, who set a trap to prove Adiel wanted Joseph killed. “Musingarimwi went to Matiyo’s homestead with Paunganwa, who pretended he wanted full payment before killing Joseph while Musingarimwi hid and listened,” said Chavarika.
The neighbourhood watch committee member later emerged and arrested Adiel, the court heard.
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