adminWalter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
TWO Zaka men have each been sentenced to 18 years in prison for axing a woman to death, accusing her of witchcraft. Two other suspects in the murder were freed as the court could not find direct evidence to link them to the crime.
Umary Techu, 29, brothers Bothwell, 27 and Guardwell Chikondo, 22, and their mother, Juliet Maredza, 54, pleaded not guilty to murdering Lillian Mhizha who was 58 year-old when the four attacked her with axes.
Sitting with assessors Samuel Mutomba and Eliphas Gweru, Justice Francis Bere however, convicted Techu and Bothwell Chikondo due to overwhelming evidence and sentenced them to 18 years in jail each for murder with actual intent.
Guardwell and Maredza had all the reasons to smile as Justice Bere discharged and acquitted them on the basis that there was no convincing evidence linking them to the commission of the offence. In discharging the two Justice Bere said the court did not find any crime committed by the two although their presence during the commission of crime raised a lot of curiosity.
“This is because when giving evidence in chief State witnesses indicated that Guardwell was on the door way while Techu and Bothwell were striking the now deceased Lillian Mhizha with axes meaning to say he was not involved in the actual commission of the crime.
“The court has also considered the time they have been in remand prison as enough punishment for their partial involvement,” said Justice Bere.
The State led by Takunda Chikwati told the court how in January 2013 Maredza allegedly convened a meeting at which she indicated that Mhizha and her daughter wanted to kill her by means of witchcraft. Maredza allegedly instructed the three men to kill Mhizha.
“On January 25, Maredza called for a meeting, which was attended by her daughter in-law, Monica Zava who is at large, her two sons, Bothwell and Guardwell Chikondo, and Umary Techu, a relative, at which she indicated that Mhizha and her daughter wanted to kill her through witchcraft after which she instructed Techu to solve the issue. The quartet then agreed that Mhizha must be killed,” said Chikwati.
Zava is Bothwell’s wife and Mhizha’s daughter. The court heard that Techu and Guardwell proceeded to Bothwell’s homestead and returned armed with two axes. He said the trio went to Mhizha’s homestead where Techu broke the door down with the axe.
“After opening the door they found Mhizha sleeping with her grandchildren both aged 12 years. Techu and Bothwell entered the house while Guardwell and Maredza remained on the lookout at the door,” he said.
Chikwati said Techu struck Mhizha’s granddaughter twice on the right arm before proceeding to Mhizha whom he struck twice on the head, twice on the back and twice on the right hand. The court further heard that after committing the offence the trio returned the following day at around 2AM and headed to Maredza’s homestead where they reported that they had disciplined Mhizha before handing over the axes.
On January, 26, 2013 at around 6AM a report was made at Zaka police station to the effect that Mhizha had been found unconscious at her homestead. The police rushed Mhizha to Ndanga Hospital, but she died on the way.
Her body was taken to Masvingo General Hospital for post-mortem. Medical results available in court show she died of head injuries. Techu and the Chikondo brothers were arrested at Jerera Growth Point following a tip off by villagers.
Online Reporter