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Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
A MAN from Bikita who killed a policeman in cold blood has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.
High Court Judge Justice Francis Bere convicted Blessing Chimbirai of Ruzive village under chief Mukanganwi of murder with constructive intent for fatally stabbing Constable Fidres Ruvinga who was 33 at the time of the incident in October last year.
Chimbirai had pleaded not guilty before the High Court circuit in Masvingo but was convicted due to overwhelming evidence by Justice Bere sitting with assessors Samuel Mutomba and Joseph Mushuku.
Handing down sentence, Justice Bere said while the court had no power to dispute Chimbirai’s version of events that were corroborated by one witness Cleopas Mabva, his conduct could not be condoned.
“The court cannot dispute that the accused had been drinking beer called Zed all day before he came to Chihowa bar and no single evidence from the witnesses has rebutted that.
“The fact that the deceased and accused had a misunderstanding over some money cannot also be dismissed due to the conduct of the deceased. The deceased dragged the accused to a secluded place and the actual stabbing incident was not seen by anyone. The court is left to rely on the evidence given by the accused,” said the judge.
“The deceased’s conduct as a police officer is questionable and if he had acted professionally he could not have been stabbed.
“He chose to drag the accused to a secluded place behind a shop yet he could have arrested him in the bar. Such conduct is suspicious.”
However, Justice Bere said Cst Ruvinga was deprived of life which was a loss to his family comprising a young wife and three-year-old child.
“The accused also failed to show any sign of remorse throughout the proceedings in court . . . there was no contrition whatsoever,” added the judge.
Chimbirai, represented by Fambidzayi Regedzayi of the Legal Resource Foundation denied having intentionally attacked Ruvinga of Bikita Police Station saying he accidentally stabbed him as they tussled over some money.
“My Lord, I did not stab the accused. I produced a knife in order to scare him as he threatened to shoot me over the $800 that he demanded I should give him. The money was for two beasts I had bought from another man under whose instructions Cst Ruvinga was acting,” said Chimbirai.
Prosecuting, Takunda Chikwati said in October 2014, Cst Ruvinga was assigned by his superiors to look for a number of accused persons in the area that also included Chimbirai.
“On October, 2, 2014 Cst Ruwinga got information to the effect that Chimbirai was a wanted person in connection with a fraud matter CRB 51/11/13 and was at Chihowa Bar in the same village.
“At 2PM on the same day, Cst Ruvinga then proceeded to the bar where he apprehended Chimbirai and took him to the back of the bar,” said Chikwati.
The two, the court heard, went behind Zionera Shop and Chimbirai allegedly took a home-made knife from his pocket and stabbed Cst Ruvinga once on the chest before fleeing from the scene.
The court further heard that Cleopas Maibva, who had witnessed what had happened, ran after Chimbirai but failed to catch up with him.
One of the patrons at the bar, Hondo Paguti attempted to render first aid on the cop who was now unconscious, but failed to resuscitate him.
The court heard that Paguti and another patron Nivias Makuvire then rushed Cst Ruvinga to hospital, but he died on the following day.
Online Reporter