News / Local
Worshiper stoned to death
16 May 2017 at 04:05hrs | Views
TWO Bulawayo men Fortune Busani Mthunzi (27) and Capson Nyathi (30) both from Pumula East who stoned to death a man who was on his way to an all night church service before robbing him of his cell phone, were each sentenced to 25 years in jail.
They were convicted of murder with actual intent by retired Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nicholas Ndou.
Mthunzi and Nyathi attacked Letron Dube (39) with stones near Pumula East Service Station and robbed him of his cell phone before they fled from the scene leaving his lifeless body lying in a pool of blood.
In passing the sentence, Justice Ndou expressed concern over the growing trend among young people committing murder, saying there was a need to uphold the sanctity of human life through imposing deterrent sentences.
"This murder was committed during the course of a robbery and the fact is aggravatory. In casu, we are dealing with a case of robbery going horribly wrong with fatal consequences.
" The accused persons were youthful offenders at the time of committing the murder and unfortunately such offences are increasingly being committed by young men of their age group," said the judge.
He said the two men deserved a lengthy prison term.
"Robbery is a serious offence and even more serious when it results in the loss of human life. The now deceased was aged 39 with a future ahead of him and taking all circumstances into account, each accused person is sentenced to 25 years imprisonment," ruled Justice Ndou. Prosecuting, Mr Thompson Hove said on April 9 in 2011 at around 7PM, Dube left his home in Lobengula West going for an all night prayer at the Zion Christian Church in Pumula East.
When he approached Pumula East Service Station along Hyde Park road, he was confronted by the two men.
"They demanded money before hitting him with stones on the head. They robbed him of a Nokia 1662 cell phone before they fled from the scene leaving him lying in a pool of blood," said Mr Hove.
The body was discovered on the following day by a passerby who reported the matter to the police. Investigations were conducted leading to the arrest of Mthunzi and Nyathi and the recovery of the stolen cell phone.
According to the post mortem results, Dube suffered a skull fracture, epidural haemotoma in the brain and head injuries.
Mr Gary Sengweni of T Hara and Partners represented Nyathi while Mthunzi's lawyers were Khumalo and Company Attorneys.
They were convicted of murder with actual intent by retired Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nicholas Ndou.
Mthunzi and Nyathi attacked Letron Dube (39) with stones near Pumula East Service Station and robbed him of his cell phone before they fled from the scene leaving his lifeless body lying in a pool of blood.
In passing the sentence, Justice Ndou expressed concern over the growing trend among young people committing murder, saying there was a need to uphold the sanctity of human life through imposing deterrent sentences.
"This murder was committed during the course of a robbery and the fact is aggravatory. In casu, we are dealing with a case of robbery going horribly wrong with fatal consequences.
" The accused persons were youthful offenders at the time of committing the murder and unfortunately such offences are increasingly being committed by young men of their age group," said the judge.
He said the two men deserved a lengthy prison term.
"Robbery is a serious offence and even more serious when it results in the loss of human life. The now deceased was aged 39 with a future ahead of him and taking all circumstances into account, each accused person is sentenced to 25 years imprisonment," ruled Justice Ndou. Prosecuting, Mr Thompson Hove said on April 9 in 2011 at around 7PM, Dube left his home in Lobengula West going for an all night prayer at the Zion Christian Church in Pumula East.
When he approached Pumula East Service Station along Hyde Park road, he was confronted by the two men.
"They demanded money before hitting him with stones on the head. They robbed him of a Nokia 1662 cell phone before they fled from the scene leaving him lying in a pool of blood," said Mr Hove.
The body was discovered on the following day by a passerby who reported the matter to the police. Investigations were conducted leading to the arrest of Mthunzi and Nyathi and the recovery of the stolen cell phone.
According to the post mortem results, Dube suffered a skull fracture, epidural haemotoma in the brain and head injuries.
Mr Gary Sengweni of T Hara and Partners represented Nyathi while Mthunzi's lawyers were Khumalo and Company Attorneys.
Source - Chronicle
