Man kills father (80) over bag of groundnuts

A man from Lupane district who fatally assaulted his father following a misunderstanding over a bag of groundnuts has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Bonginkosi Sibanda (28), from Ngwalongwalo Village pleaded not guilty to the murder of his father aged 80, but was on Wednesday convicted of culpable homicide by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese sitting with Mrs Elizabeth Chazanga and Mr Nehemiah Dube as assessors.

Justice Makonese, who is on circuit in Hwange, found Bonginkosi not guilty of murder and suspended two years of his sentence for five years on condition of good behaviour. In passing sentence the judge noted that attacks from drunken brawls were on the increase and that there was a need to protect society from violent individuals.

Agreed facts were that on 7 June 2010, Sibanda and his father were at a beer drink with other villagers. At about 9pm, they left the homestead where they had been drinking and proceeded to their homestead. While having supper a misunderstanding between them ensued over a sack of groundnuts. Sibanda's father left for his sleeping hut and Sibanda followed him after a few minutes. They met in the centre of their homestead and his father grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and struck him on the head with an unknown object. Sibanda then hit his father at the back of the head with a brick twice and he fell down. He continued hitting him.

Mr Khumbulani Ndlovu assisted by Ms Nonhlanhla Ndlovu, both of the Attorney General's Office prosecuted while Mr Charles Tonderai Mukuku, of Marondedze, Mukuku, Ndove and Partners defended Sibanda pro deo.