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Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]
A GWERU man, who fatally stabbed a woman with a broken bottle after she intervened in a dispute at a cocktail bar in Mkoba 10 suburb has been sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment.
Patson Chitifa (42), of Mkoba 10, was convicted of culpable homicide by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Munamato Mutevedzi. He had initially been charged with murder.
Prosecuting, Mr Talent Tadenyika told the court that the incident occurred on November 8 last year at around 10PM, at Flames Bar, Mkoba 10 Business Centre.
The court heard that the now-deceased, Haifa Chiyangwa, was drinking beer with her relatives — Felistas Chikwanda, Mecklyn Chikwanda and Tariro Chifamba — when an altercation arose.
“At around 10.30PM, Tariro Chifamba left the bar to use the toilet.
“As she attempted to return, the accused person blocked her at the door connecting the toilet to the bar,” said Mr Tadenyika.
Chiyangwa intervened and pleaded with Chitifa to allow Chifamba to pass back into the bar, but he refused.
The situation escalated when Chifamba grabbed Chitifa’s jacket and pulled him, resulting in him falling to the ground. In the process, the beer bottle he was holding shattered.
“Chitifa stood up holding the broken top part of the bottle in his right hand and stabbed the deceased once on the right side of the neck,” said the prosecutor.
Chiyangwa collapsed and Chitifa dropped the broken bottle before storming out of the bar.
The injured woman was rushed to Gweru Provincial Hospital, where she died upon admission.
Chitifa was arrested the following morning and the broken bottle was recovered as an exhibit.
A post-mortem conducted at United Bulawayo Hospitals concluded that Chiyangwa died from hypovolemic shock due to a lacerated neck vessel caused by a wound inflicted with a broken bottle.
Online Reporter