How Chillmaster escaped prison

Zvikomborero Parafini

The late Custon Charambira’s family representative, who spoke in the victim impact assessment in court, pleaded with the presiding officer to free musician Chillmaster because he pledged to take care of the deceased’s juvenile children.

Lucia Charambira took the witness stand and told presiding magistrate Tatenda Mukurunge that Chillmaster financed the funeral, through providding  food, transport and money for the coffin.

She told the court that he has paid half of the money they had charged him as compensation and undertook to settle the amount as soon as possible.

She pleaded with the court to release him unconditionally because he had undertaken to take care of their educational needs until when they finish school because he precisely understands and is remorseful that if the deceased had been alive, he would be taking his kids to school.

According to submissions made by his lawyers, in addition to the educational needs, he offered to pay basic monthly groceries to cater for the minors’ social welfare until they reach the age of 18.

The court, however, wasn’t swayed and ordered him to perform 420 hours of community service at Stoneridge Primary School for the culpable homicide charge and US$200 fine for driving without a license.

Chillmaster pleaded guilty to both counts.

Chillmaster had three passengers on board from Stoneridge towards town when he hit the now deceased who was walking on the roadside from Stoneridge towards maSteps and died on the spot.

The deceased sustained broken legs and head injuries and died on the spot.

He was buried in Zaka.

Meanwhile, the ruling generated interest on social media with many feeling the magistrate had been too lenient on Chillmaster.

Below are some of the comments:

A lot was considered here, he was remorseful, he worked out something with the bereaving family, he also considered he is young and has potential, why are you all clamouring for potential to be destroyed behind the cells. You will never know what this experience taught him in life, his experience might be a launchpad for something good maybe in awareness campaigns. Let’s try to search for the positives which might come out not kushuvira the downfall of everyone simply because iwe wagara uri down. Hats off to the magistrate. Chillmaster hope unoshandisawo your experience for something positive.

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This is not justice. It’s set a wrong precedence. You kill someone for driving without a license and you get a light sentence like that.  Saka license haichasina basa.

The guy had an understanding with the family, he took the blame and probably volunteered to help, be the wife and kid’s school fees etc, my small thought.

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Saka muchidimbu zvikunzi kudriver mota usina license wotsika munhu wofa haisi mhosva kuZim.  Iiiii  kubva tichanzwa nekutsikwa hedu mudziroad umu.kana mutongo wacho wakareruka kudai handisi kuti chii kana chii hangu

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Let’s not judge we don’t really know what happened who was wrong between Chillmaster and the deceased, we don’t know what Chillmaster and the deceased family agreed and we don’t know the proof Chillmaster produced to prove his innocence.

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I see some complaining here. I understand the situation is very painful. But consider this what Chillmaster committed is culpable homicide not murder.

He was negligent in his actions which is different from murder where the perpetrator needs to have the intention. I believe there is just need for remedial action to the bereaved family.

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License inongodiwa! You save yourself from such stress and being on the wrong side of the law! Imwe I accident nothing much can be done!

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This is rubbish. How can he be given community service when he was driving without a licence and ended up killing some1. This is miscarriage of law. What does the books of law say?

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If Chillmaster wasn’t an artist but a normal person, they would have taken this a step further. He wouldn’t have just walked away with a community service and a 200 dollar fine. l love Chillmaster a lot as an artist but the law didn’t do justice here

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Asi iye Chillmaster zve court zvapera kudayi arikufanira kuenda kumhuri yakarasikirwa votaurirana kana panezvinoda kubviswa zvobviswa mukomana ocheneswa.

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420 hours of community service for Culpable homicide and driving without a license? Pane zvaitika chete. The lady artist Dudu was once jailed for the same offence. Maybe circumstances are different.

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I was on his side but his sentence seems so light considering someone died, yes it was an accident but why drive without a license anyway life goes on.