Five years for knifing neighbour in debt dispute

A 32-YEAR-OLD man from Tsholotsho who stabbed his neighbour five times with a kitchen knife following a dispute over an unpaid debt was yesterday sentenced to five years in jail.

Edward Sibanda was convicted of attempted murder by Bulawayo regional magistrate, Mr Matthew Mutiro.

Sibanda will serve an effective four years in prison after the magistrate suspended one year of the sentence on the condition that he does not commit a similar offence in the next five years.

In passing sentence, Mr Mutiro expressed concern over cases of violence, saying the court must protect citizens by passing harsh sentences.

“Cases of attempted murder are now prevalent, so there is a need to send a clear message of deterrence to would-be offenders that the law does not tolerate such criminal activities. A jail term without the option of a fine will meet the justice of this case,” ruled the magistrate.

Prosecutor, Mr Jethro Mada, said the incident occurred sometime in October at around 3pm. Sibanda and the complainant, Mr Mthabisi Moyo, had an altercation at the local shops when the victim demanded money Sibanda owed him.

Witnesses at the scene intervened to prevent a fight and Mr Moyo left and went home. Later, at around 5pm, Sibanda followed Mr Moyo to his house and found him tending to his goats.

The court heard that Mr Moyo’s stepson spotted Sibanda approaching with a knife and alerted him. Sibanda attacked Mr Moyo without provocation.

“We fought at the shops and I decided to leave the place. About an hour later, I heard my son shouting that Sibanda was coming towards me holding a knife. I turned and saw him already near me with a kitchen knife. He did not say anything and started stabbing me,” said Mr Moyo in his testimony.

The court heard that Sibanda stabbed Mr Moyo in the stomach, head, knee, chest and thigh. As a result, Mr Moyo suffered severe injuries, including deep knife wounds that have left him with difficulties walking and standing for extended periods.

In his defence, Sibanda claimed he acted in self-defence, alleging that Mr Moyo had overpowered him during a fight and that the knife had fallen from Mr Moyo’s pocket.

“I was trying to defend myself from Moyo as he had overpowered me. The knife I used had fallen from his pocket as he was on top of me. To save myself, I took the knife and stabbed him,” he said.

The court, however, found Sibanda’s defence unconvincing. Magistrate Mutiro noted that the evidence presented by the State was clear and straightforward, leading to Sibanda’s conviction.