Online Reporter
B-Metro Reporter
A 23-YEAR-OLD man was sentenced to life behind bars for brutally killing his 82-year-old grandfather and burying him in a shallow grave near their homestead.
Blessed Nyashadzashe Mapulani turned on his elderly relative, Joel Manyevere, in a gruesome attack at Mugahwa Village under Chief Jiri in Gokwe South. According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ), the younger man axed the old villager four times — once on the chest, twice on the neck, and once on the shoulder, before trying to conceal the crime.
Neighbours became suspicious when Manyevere suddenly vanished and bloodstains were seen around his yard. Their fears were confirmed when police from ZRP Manoti discovered his body buried about 800 metres from his homestead, together with the bloodstained axe used in the murder.
A post-mortem carried out at United Bulawayo Hospitals revealed that the old man died from acute cardiorespiratory failure, cervical spinal cord injury, and cervical spine fracture — evidence of the savage nature of the assault.
Passing judgment, the High Court sitting at Gokwe condemned the “heinous and senseless” act, saying it showed no respect for life or humanity. “Such cruelty towards a defenceless elderly man warrants the harshest punishment,” ruled the court before slapping Mapulani with life imprisonment.
In a statement, the NPA said:
“The justice system will not tolerate brutal acts of violence, particularly against the elderly and vulnerable. This sentence serves as a stern reminder that the law will always protect the sanctity of human life.”
