Child killer jailed 20 years

A 59-YEAR-OLD man from Gwanda was yesterday sentenced to 20 years in jail for killing his five-year-old daughter and chopping off her arm for alleged rituals.

Chest Moyo committed the offence in 2000 when he was aged 43 and told neighbours that the toddler fell into a fire while cooking.

Bulawayo High Court Judge Justice Nicholas Mathonsi said Moyo had his old age and ill health to thank as he deserved a lengthy sentence for the heinous crime.

"The court believes that all four State witnesses gave a fair testimony of what transpired 16 years ago. The accused fabricated a lot of information and failed to stick to his story as statements differ from what he said in defence," said Justice Mathonsi.

"We're perplexed by his actions and given the circumstances, there's nothing to mitigate his crime."

Justice Mathonsi said the courts will never tire of sending away like-minded criminals. "You're found guilty of murder with actual intent. The missing arm was probably used for rituals and we bemoan the increase of such activities in the country," he said.

"You're therefore sentenced to 20 years imprisonment."

Moyo's lawyer King Dube from Shenje and Partners said his client was an old first offender who was on antiretroviral medication.

Gift Sibanda, Moyo's neighbour, said he was approached by Moyo at around 5AM on January 28, 2000, to announce his daughter's death.

"He told me that his daughter died while trying to cook and I didn't believe the story. We proceeded to his home and when we went into the kitchen hut, I saw the body on the tripod covered with a blanket," said Sibanda.

"I noticed that she had a big gash on her head and that her buttocks were burnt. I didn't see blood stains around the body and I quickly suggested that we visit our village head Matshina Ndlovu."

Albert Ndlovu from the village head's homestead said: "I saw him standing at the door shouting at the top of his voice in anger. He was shouting at his senile father and I just proceeded with my journey. Later when I got to a certain homestead, I saw Moyo and he told me that his daughter had died. I went back to his home and saw the body in the same hut where I had seen him standing earlier on."

In his defence, Moyo said his daughter met her fate while cooking as his wife had gone out to look for her missing sister. "I was left with my daughter [on January 27]. I went for a beerdrink and came back and made a meal for my family. We then ate and I left home for another drink," said Moyo.

"I'm sure her hand was eaten by hungry dogs as she was carrying food with the hand. I didn't do anything but found her lying on the tripod with a wound on the head."

A postmortem report showed that the toddler died due to multiple injuries and assault.

Nokuthaba Ngwenya for the State said that the girl was found dead lying near a small fireplace.

"Upon searching the homestead, police recovered Moyo's blood stained white shirt and brown trousers. Upon inquiry about the origins of the blood, Moyo said it came from a chicken he had slaughtered on January 27 and police failed to recover the chicken feathers," said Ngwenya.