Killer escapes hangman’s noose

Musaruro (24) was jailed by Justice Bhunu after the judge and his two assessors found him guilty of murder with constructive intent but also found extenuating circumstances, giving the judge the freedom to impose a jail term instead of a death sentence.
Law Officer Mr Public Mpofu had proposed 30 years imprisonment but the judge decided to impose a 17-year prison term considering the period Musaruro spent in remand prison.
Musaruro and his niece had worked together at  7 Cinnamon Close where the girl was a maid but Musaruro was sacked in January 2009 on theft allegations.
He went to his rural home in Domboshawa.
When the neice visited the village, the two clashed over a missing cellphone.
On February 25, Musaruro went to his former workplace in Chisipite and accosted the girl who was doing her duties.
During the encounter the issue of the cellphone cropped up again resulting in Musaruro assaulting and strangling the woman with an electric cord.
Musaruro then looted a DVD player, Mercer computer, Nokia 5310 phone, and clothes and took the property to Domboshawa.
He gave the stolen computer set to Mr Dyson Chirima before hiding the rest of the loot in a bushy area.
Musaruro admitted to stealing the property but denied killing his niece.
He told the court that he arrived at the house and rang the intercom without response. Musaruro told the court that he shouted several times without response prompting him to jump over the pre-cast wall.
While inside, Musaruro denied ever encountering the woman but said he took the absence of her niece as an opportunity to steal.
Considering evidence by the witnesses Justice Bhunu was satisfied that Musaruro was the one who killed his niece.