News / National
Murderer escapes hangman's noose
28 Feb 2014 at 06:19hrs | Views
A Masvingo man from Mazhawidza village under Chief Chitsa in Gutu who crushed his uncle's head to a pulp two years ago accusing him of being a wizard, escaped the hangman's noose last week, but was given a life in prison term after he was convicted for murder by High Court judge Justice Susan Mavhangira.
The gruesome murder of Shadreck Muhwava by his 30-year-ol nephew, Kasiel Muhwava, occurred on September 24 2012 in their village.
The circuit court which was sitting in Masvingo, heard that Muhwava handcuffed his uncle and crushed his head using three stones weighing between three and six kgs.
Prior to the incident, Muhwava is said to have had a dream in which he saw his uncle confronting him with his walking stick intending to bewitch him.
The dream is said to have incensed Muhwava who then informed his parents about it and sought for their permission to consult a traditional healer to resolve his mysterious nightmare.
After his parents refused to cooperate, Muhwava confronted his uncle with a view to drag him to the police station and eventually to a traditional healer.
Muhwava ordered the now deceased to surrender all his walking sticks which he had used in bewitching people.
Perturbed by the unfolding events, Muhwava's uncle is said to have resisted the requests, courting the ire of his assailant who immediately turned violent.
In the ensuing mêlée, Muhwava cuffed his uncle and force-marched him away from his homestead under the pretext that he was taking him to Basera Police Station.
Along the way, Muhwava attacked his uncle with open hands and later fell him to the ground where he then crushed his head with rocks until he died.
Justice Mavhangira dismissed Muhwava's dreams defence as a figment of his imagination.
The judge said it was clear Muhwava's intention was to kill his uncle when he confronted him at his homestead, as such he could not escape conviction of murder with actual intent.
The gruesome murder of Shadreck Muhwava by his 30-year-ol nephew, Kasiel Muhwava, occurred on September 24 2012 in their village.
The circuit court which was sitting in Masvingo, heard that Muhwava handcuffed his uncle and crushed his head using three stones weighing between three and six kgs.
Prior to the incident, Muhwava is said to have had a dream in which he saw his uncle confronting him with his walking stick intending to bewitch him.
The dream is said to have incensed Muhwava who then informed his parents about it and sought for their permission to consult a traditional healer to resolve his mysterious nightmare.
After his parents refused to cooperate, Muhwava confronted his uncle with a view to drag him to the police station and eventually to a traditional healer.
Perturbed by the unfolding events, Muhwava's uncle is said to have resisted the requests, courting the ire of his assailant who immediately turned violent.
In the ensuing mêlée, Muhwava cuffed his uncle and force-marched him away from his homestead under the pretext that he was taking him to Basera Police Station.
Along the way, Muhwava attacked his uncle with open hands and later fell him to the ground where he then crushed his head with rocks until he died.
Justice Mavhangira dismissed Muhwava's dreams defence as a figment of his imagination.
The judge said it was clear Muhwava's intention was to kill his uncle when he confronted him at his homestead, as such he could not escape conviction of murder with actual intent.
Source - Southern Eye
