Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]
TWO friends from Silobela in Midland Province have each been sentenced to 25 years in prison after being convicted of murdering a fellow villager in a knife and log attack at Zvibomvu Business Centre in August 2023.
Appearing before High Court judge Justice Munamato Mutevedzi, sitting on circuit at the Bulawayo High Court in Gweru, on separate murder charges were Prince Tirivavi, 29, and Andrew Joka, 24, both unemployed and from Asina Village under Chief Malisa in Silobela.
Tirivavi and Joka were convicted of the murder of Zivanai Maphosa, against their own plea of not guilty, by Justice Mutevedzi following a full trial.
The court heard that the two men fatally stabbed and assaulted Maphosa following a dispute on the night of August 18, 2023.
In passing sentence, the court found that the two had either intended to kill Maphosa or had foreseen the real risk that their actions could result in his death.
In mitigation, both men told the court they were unemployed and had no prior relationship with the deceased.
Handing down the sentence, Justice Mutevedzi described the attack as brutal, adding that a custodial sentence was appropriate to reflect the seriousness of the offence and to deter similar crimes.
Prosecutor Mr Talent Tadenyika told the court that Maphosa had been moving around Zvibomvu Business Centre at about 8.30pm, holding a wooden log and searching for Joka and Tirivavi.
The pair later arrived at Samantha Loza’s canteen, where they encountered Maphosa, leading to a misunderstanding. Maphosa allegedly attempted to strike Joka with the wooden log but missed, prompting Joka to flee, with Maphosa in pursuit.
Joka later returned with Tirivavi, both armed, and inquired about Maphosa’s whereabouts. When no one responded, the pair allegedly shouted that they intended to kill him
Mr Tadenyika told the court that Joka and Tirivavi subsequently tracked Maphosa to an area behind Twala Mliswa’s complex.
Joka then stabbed Maphosa several times all over the body with a knife, while Tirivavi repeatedly struck him with a wooden log.
Witnesses Samantha Loza, Sharleen Dube and Kudzai Mayaya said they rushed to the scene after hearing cries for help and found Maphosa lying lifeless on the ground, bleeding profusely.
Maphosa was taken to Loreto District Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on the same day. His body was later transferred to United Bulawayo Hospitals for a post-mortem examination conducted on August 25, 2023.
The matter was reported to the police, leading to the arrest of the accused.
Londile Moyo