News / National
Man axes father to death, found not guilty of murder
28 Jan 2015 at 04:39hrs | Views
A 31-YEAR-OLD mentally challenged man from Gokwe, who struck his father to death with an axe, was yesterday found not guilty of murder on the grounds of insanity.
Obey Mutero of Village Mutero, Chief Mkoka, Gokwe South went to a bedroom hut where his father was sleeping.
Once inside the hut, Mutero struck his 63-year-old father with an axe on the head and hand before leaving.
His mother, Lina Mpofu, heard her husband screaming and when she went to enquire, she found him lying in a pool of blood.
High Court judge Justice Lawrence Kamocha considered Mutero's mental state before delivering a sentence of not guilty by reason of insanity and said accused would be committed to Mlondolozi Mental Prison.
The State's case was that on August 4 and at around 3am, the accused proceeded to a hut where his father was sleeping, armed with an axe. He struck his father once on the head and left hand with the axe before going away.
The deceased was discovered lying unconsciously in a pool of blood by his wife, who made arrangements to transport him to hospital.
He, however, died upon arrival at Gokwe District Hospital.
In a related incident, a 34-year-old Mberengwa man, who stabbed a man to death in a bar after he had splashed beer on him, will spend time at Mlondolozi, after he was found not guilty due to insanity.
On January 14 2009 Tinevimbo Mangena was drinking beer at Zijena bottle store, when the deceased splashed beer on him after a two litre container of opaque beer he was shaking burst.
In anger, the accused stabbed the deceased with a knife in the left side of his chest resulting in his instant death.
Obey Mutero of Village Mutero, Chief Mkoka, Gokwe South went to a bedroom hut where his father was sleeping.
Once inside the hut, Mutero struck his 63-year-old father with an axe on the head and hand before leaving.
His mother, Lina Mpofu, heard her husband screaming and when she went to enquire, she found him lying in a pool of blood.
High Court judge Justice Lawrence Kamocha considered Mutero's mental state before delivering a sentence of not guilty by reason of insanity and said accused would be committed to Mlondolozi Mental Prison.
The deceased was discovered lying unconsciously in a pool of blood by his wife, who made arrangements to transport him to hospital.
He, however, died upon arrival at Gokwe District Hospital.
In a related incident, a 34-year-old Mberengwa man, who stabbed a man to death in a bar after he had splashed beer on him, will spend time at Mlondolozi, after he was found not guilty due to insanity.
On January 14 2009 Tinevimbo Mangena was drinking beer at Zijena bottle store, when the deceased splashed beer on him after a two litre container of opaque beer he was shaking burst.
In anger, the accused stabbed the deceased with a knife in the left side of his chest resulting in his instant death.
Source - Southern Eye
