Killer siblings jailed 30 years each

Mashudu Netsianda Senior Court Reporter
TWO Plumtree siblings who conspired to strangle their grandmother before reporting the matter to police as sudden death, have been sentenced to an effective 30 years each in jail.Jubilant, 23, and his sister Privilege Ndlovu, 27, both of Mlomwe village were convicted by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Maxwell Takuva of murdering their granny, Thoko Ncube, 62, last year in March after accusing her of bewitching them.

Justice Takuva ruled that there was sufficient evidence linking the two siblings to the death of Ncube and convicted them of murder with actual intent.

Justice Takuva concluded that the belief in witchcraft by two siblings was an extenuating circumstance but said such a belief was primitive.

“Those who commit murder under the belief of witchcraft deserve a lengthy prison term. Such beliefs are primitive and backward and held by irrational people. You killed an innocent, old and frail woman in a heinous manner. Murder is a serious crime and the courts have a duty to uphold the sanctity of human life. It’s clear that the two accused persons carefully planned the crime and went on to meticulously execute it in a cold-blooded manner,” said Justice Takuva.

He said the actions by the two siblings showed that they had total disregard for human life.

“The degree of cruelty by the accused persons is shocking and it shows a total disregard for human life. Their moral blameworthiness is very high and the justice of the case will be met by a 30-year prison term for each of them,” the judge ruled.

Prosecuting, Sifiso Ndlovu said on March 1, 2014, shortly after 6AM, the two siblings hatched a plan to kill their grandmother on allegations that she was bewitching them.

The court heard that Jubilant and Privilege went to Ncube’s homestead in the company of their 15-year-old niece.

“On arrival at Ncube’s home, they found the old woman cuddling her two-year-old granddaughter. They exchanged greetings after which Jubilant sprang from his chair and strangled his grandmother,” said Ndlovu.

Privilege then joined her brother and pinned down the old woman. Jubilant then took a knobkerrie and struck his grandmother three times on the head as she lay helplessly on the floor. Ncube collapsed and died on the spot. Soon after committing the crime, the pair covered her body with a blanket and went to a police station where they reported the case as sudden death, the court heard.

Privilege had pleaded not guilty while her brother admitted killing his grandmother, but said he did not do it intentionally as he was under the influence of dagga.

In mitigation, Jubilant through his lawyer, Farai Museta, pleaded for leniency, saying he was manipulated by his sister to commit the crime. Privilege who was represented by Pasipanodya Mukono said she was a breadwinner looking after a minor child.