adminThembani Wabayi (19), of Village 3A Insuza pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, but was convicted by acting Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Godwin Sengweni.
He was sentenced to seven years in prison of which three years were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
The State case as presented by the prosecutor, Mr Tinashe Dzipe is that on 29 December last year, Mr Nkosiyazi Ncube, his two sisters and a friend Mr Mthelisi Mkandla were on their way to the fields.
They were approached by Wabayi who was in the company of his three friends. The four then had a misunderstanding with Mr Mkandla.
Mr Ncube intervened and tried to calm the situation and during the process, Wabayi grabbed an axe and struck him once at the back of the head.
Mr Ncube sustained a cut on the head.
Appearing before another court, a man from Bulawayo’s Emganwini suburb who raped his mentally challenged neighbour was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
The man aged 41 had pleaded not guilty to rape but was convicted by senior Western Division regional magistrate Mr Owen Tagu.
Five years of his sentence were conditionally suspended for five years.
The court heard that on 28 August last year, at about 11.30 am, the 27-year-old complainant went to the man’s house where she wanted to see his wife.
When the complainant got to the house, the man’s wife was not around and he allowed her to get into the house.
The State proved that he dragged her to the sitting room and forced her to lie on a sofa. He stripped her naked before raping her once and she immediately made a report to neighbours and a report was made to the police leading to his arrest.
Mr Tinashe Dzipe prosecuted and Mr Robson Mahachi, of T. Hara and Partners defended the accused.
Online Reporter