Chronicle Editor
Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Court Reporter
A MAN from Esigodini, who fled to South Africa soon after fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend for terminating their affair, surrendered himself to the police claiming the woman’s avenging spirit was tormenting him.
Stanford Dube (31) of Mbizingwe village stabbed his ex-lover Lubelihle Moyo (18) to death with a kitchen knife after she terminated their relationship in 2014 when he was then aged 26.
Dube, in his testimony yesterday told the court that he fled to South Africa soon after fatally stabbing Moyo.
He said three years later he looked for the deceased’s relatives in South Africa and told them that he was being tormented by Moyo’s avenging spirit and offered to surrender himself to the police.
“I was having sleepless nights ever since I fled to South Africa because I was being tormented by Moyo’s spirit until I decided to look for the deceased’s relatives. I offered to surrender myself to the South African police, who then liaised with the Zimbabwe Republic Police and handed me over at Beitbridge Border Post,” he said.
Dube was convicted of murder with actual intent by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nokuthula Moyo in connection with the death of Moyo.
He was sentenced to an effective 30 years in jail.
In passing the sentence, Justice Moyo condemned Dube’s conduct, saying he deserved a lengthy prison term.
“The accused person started at the deep end in that he brutally killed the deceased as punishment for moving on, which was after all her right. These courts frown at violence in all forms and circumstances which resulted in needless loss of a young life. The accused person is not even contrite such that he fled to South Africa to avoid justice,” said the judge.
She described Dube as a heartless person who does not deserve lenience.
“He is a hard hearted man who does not care about the deceased’s death. He deserves a lengthy prison term and accordingly you are sentenced to 30 years in jail,” ruled Justice Moyo
Prosecuting, Ms Nokuthaba Ngwenya said on March 31, 2013 at about 7PM, Dube left his employer’s homestead in Mbizingwe village and went to Moyo’s place. The court heard that Moyo and Dube were no longer in love.
On arrival at Moyo’s homestead, Dube found Moyo alone in her bedroom.
He confronted her demanding an explanation as to why she had ditched him.
“The accused person charged towards Moyo wielding a knife and stabbed her once in the chest, stomach and left eyebrow as she screamed,” said Ms Ngwenya.
She said soon after committing the offence, Dube fled from the scene leaving the deceased lying in a pool of blood.
The court heard that Moyo’s younger brother Phathisani Jefta Ndlovu arrived home and found his sister lying unconscious and alerted neighbours. Moyo was taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) where she succumbed to the injuries the following day.
In his defence through his lawyer Mr Byron Sengweni of Sengweni Legal Practice, Dube maintained that he was still in love with Moyo at the time of the commission of the offence. He said he found Moyo entertaining another man on his visit and got angry.
“I confronted the man I had clashed with in my girlfriend’s bedroom during which a fight ensued. On realising that I was being overpowered I picked a kitchen knife and tried to stab him but the deceased came in between us and tried to intervene and in the process I accidentally stabbed her once in the stomach,” he argued.
After stabbing Moyo, Dube said he got scared and fled from the scene.
According to a post mortem report, Moyo died due to septicaemia, multiple stab wounds and homicide.
—@mashnets
Online Reporter