adminin prison.
Desire Dandiro (25) pleaded not guilty to attempted murder charges when he appeared before Chitungwiza magistrate Mr Never Katiyo.
The court, however, found him guilty of a lesser charge of assault in view of the evidence adduced by the State.
Mr Katiyo slapped Dandiro with two years in jail but set aside eight months on condition of good behaviour.
Dandiro had told the court that he committed the crime in self defence after his stepmother tried to strangle him with a curtain during a domestic dispute, a claim the woman disputed in her testimony.
In passing sentence Mr Katiyo noted that there was bad blood between Dandiro and his stepmother.
Although Dandiro had implored the court to consider an option of fine or community service as the appropriate sentence, the court did not accept his plea.
“Since you and your stepmother are enemies, (the court) cannot let you go and stay with your family. Sending you to prison will be the only option that this court has because your actions have shown that you are a danger to the family,” said Mr Katiyo.
The court heard that on February 9 this year Dandiro insulted his stepmother Tendai Dandiro but she did not retaliate.
She went inside to sweep the house and Dandiro followed her and continued to insult her.
Irked by his stepmother’s decision not to respond, Dandiro then spilled some buckets full of water on the floor before he started punching the defenceless woman.
Dandiro left the house and returned armed with an iron bar but he found the door locked from inside.
Using the iron bar, Dandiro forced open the door and struck his stepmother with an iron bar on the head. The woman screamed attracting neighbours who came to her rescue.
She made a police report leading to Dandiro’s arrest.
leeroy
Online Reporter