Killer challenges prison term

A PLUMTEE man who conspired with his sibling and strangled their grandmother they accused of bewitching them before reporting the case to police as one of sudden death, is challenging his 30-year jail term. Jubilant Ndlovu, 23, and his sister Privilege, 27, both of Mlomwe village were convicted by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Maxwell Takuva of murder with constructive intent in connection with the death of their granny, Thoko Ncube, 62, last year in March.

They were both sentenced to 30 years in jail each. Jubilant on Tuesday filed an appeal at the Bulawayo High Court citing the state as the respondent. He argued that the sentence was excessive and induced a sense of shock.

"The sentence induces a sense of shock and it is more retributive than reformative. Therefore my delay to appeal should be condoned as it was neither wilful nor negligent as I lacked profound knowledge on how to note an appeal," said Jubilant.

The court heard that on March 1, 2014, shortly after 6AM, Jubilant and his sister hatched a plan to kill their grandmother on allegations that she was a witch.

They went to Ncube's homestead in the company of their 15-year-old niece. On arrival at Ncube's home, they found the old woman cuddling her two-year-old granddaughter.

They exchanged greetings after which Jubilant sprang from his chair and strangled his grandmother.

Privilege then joined her brother and pinned down the old woman.

Jubilant then took a knobkerrie and struck his grandmother three times on the head as she lay helplessly on the floor. Ncube collapsed and died on the spot.

Soon after committing the crime, the pair covered her body with a blanket and went to a police station where they reported the case as sudden death.