adminGrant Fawcett (28), of Number 77 Park Road in Suburbs told the security guard, Mr James Mupasiri, that he hated black people and wanted to kill him after he had squeezed him against a pre-cast wall with his vehicle.
Grant, whose lawyer told the court he was employed as a farm manager, pleaded not guilty to attempted murder but was convicted by Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Godwin Sengweni.
He was sentenced to four years in prison of which half the sentence was conditionally suspended for five years.
In passing sentence the court said what aggravated his case was that he committed the offence after he had had one too many and was under the influence of alcohol.
“The defence counsel confirmed that he needs rehabilitation from his drinking habits and is currently undergoing counselling to help him out of that habit.
“This was voluntary intoxication where obviously accused now wants to benefit from a weakness, which he voluntarily created. The gravity of accused’s conduct cannot be over emphasised,” said the magistrate.
The court said it was clear that the complainant was lucky to be alive and said using the vehicle in the manner that Fawcett did only shows disdain for Mr Mupasiri’s bodily integrity.
Added Mr Sengweni: “What heightens the accused’s blameworthiness is that the complainant was providing security for the accused and his family. The atrocity was unprovoked and uncalled for. To allow the accused to behave like this in the name of drunkenness would be like condoning barbarism. A fine or community service as a sentencing option would trivialise the seriousness of what accused did.”
Fawcett’s lawyer, Ms Nikiwe Ncube, of Webb, Low and Barry Incorporating Ben Baron and Partners had pleaded with the court to be lenient when passing sentence.
She pointed out that Fawcett was undergoing counselling because of his drinking habit.
Ms Sifiso Ndlovu, for the State, told the court that on 6 January last year, at about 3am, Mr Mupasiri was on duty guarding Fawcett’s residence.
Fawcett,arrived home driving his motor vehicle, a pick-up truck, and he opened the gate by remote control.
Mr Mupasiri was standing close to the pre-cast wall holding a dog by its leash and instead of driving straight into the yard, Ms Ndlovu proved that he turned and drove straight at the security guard and pushed him against the wall and squeezed him hard against it.
When the complainant asked him what he was doing, the State proved that he told him that he hates black people and wanted to kill him.
Online Reporter