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Mathew Masinge
A WOMAN, who was charged with murder for stabbing her husband for having sex with a married woman in the bush, has been convicted of culpable homicide.
Precious Machivenyika was convicted of the lesser charge by High Court judge, Justice Munamato Mutevedzi, who ruled that the stabbing happened in the heat of an argument.
Machivenyika stabbed her husband, Tichaona Chikonje, once on the thigh as she struggled to disengage from him.
The State said Chikonje was caught having sex with Fungai Nyamurenje on June 24 last year at Iron Mask Farm, Mazowe.
Nyamurenje’s husband managed to contain his anger before telling Machivenyika, who was pregnant at the time, of the adulterous affair.
Machivenyika confronted him over the infidelity, which he did not deny.
She attempted to commit suicide by ingesting paraquat.
She then took an okapi knife intending to kill herself.
Chikonje pursued his wife and the two wrestled before he was stabbed on the thigh in the melee.
He bled profusely until he collapsed.
He was taken to Concession Hospital where he died upon admission.
A post-mortem indicated that Chikonje died due to hemorrhagic shock from the stab wound.
In her defence, Machivenyika said she had no intention of killing her husband and just wanted him to let go of her so that she could commit suicide.
“This is an assault that occurred in the heat of the moment. The accused wanted to commit suicide while the deceased was bent on preventing her from doing so.
“That she directed the stab at the deceased’s leg when she could have easily targeted more vulnerable and more dangerous parts of the body illustrates her sincerity in that she did not intend to kill him, but to merely extricate herself from his grip,” ruled Justice Mutevedzi.
Online Reporter
