Reform schools for murderous teenagers

Leonard Ncube Court Reporter
TWO teenagers that accidentally killed their neighbour were yesterday sentenced to a wholly suspended five years imprisonment. The teenagers aged 15 and 16, both from Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park suburb, were pupils at different city schools doing Form Three and Four.The two who were found guilty of culpable homicide by Justice Andrew Mutema, will however, spend three years at separate reformatory schools.

The pair caused the death of Advance Manokore, 27, on August 24, 2012.
“It is sad and unfortunate that a life was lost due to the turn of events and the accused attempted to flee after committing the offence,” Justice Mutema said.

The two juveniles looked worried after the court adjourned as they  kept inquiring whether they will be allowed to continue with their schooling.

One boy will spend the three years at Percy Ibboston School in Luveve while the other will be at Kadoma Reformatory School.
Justice Mutema said in deciding to send the duo to reformatory schools, he had considered the duo’s youthfulness and that they were first offenders.

Prosecutor Nokuthaba Ngwenya, assisted by Sifiso Ndlovu said on the fateful day at about 8PM the two juveniles met Manokore who was drunk and were incensed when he staggered between them.

One of them grabbed and slapped Manokore on the cheek while his accomplice tripped him when he tried to escape and he fell on the tarmac with the back of his head.

The two boys fled from the scene when a car approached leaving the victim lying on the ground.
Manokore was picked by his friend Brian Mpofu who disembarked from a kombi that was coming from town and taken to his house. He was bleeding from the nose and his head was already swollen. His wife put him to bed and he died around 2AM.

A post-mortem report showed that Manokore died as a result of intra cranial haemorrhage and blunt force trauma.
Meanwhile, there was drama at the courts when family members of the two boys almost manhandled the news crew in an attempt to stop them from covering the court case.