News / Regional
Man axed over stray donkeys
20 Jul 2014 at 10:28hrs | Views
A 41-YEAR-OLD Victoria Falls man has been sentenced to perform 105 hours of community service for striking his neighbour with an axe following a dispute over stray donkeys.
Andrew Ncube of BH45 Jambezi, under Chief Shana, was convicted on his own plea of guilty when he appeared before Victoria Falls resident magistrate Sharon Rosemani on Friday.
The court was told that on April 7 at around 4pm, Thulani Moyo (26) went to his field and found six donkeys belonging to Ncube grazing with Ncube herding them.
A misunderstanding arose between the two with Ncube indicating that it was out of revenge as Moyo's donkeys had previously grazed in his field.
As they were quarrelling Ncube approached Moyo and pushed him down threatening to kill him.
He then took an axe he was holding and struck him on the left side of the head and he fell unconscious. Ncube fled the scene leaving the axe behind.
Moyo was rushed to hospital by his mother Esther Nkosi who had witnessed the fight. Ncube was arrested the following day.
Rosemani told Ncube that she had considered his mitigation, but what worsened the offence was that he had failed to act like a mature person.
"In coming up with appropriate sentence I considered that you are 41 years old and you were a first offender," he said.
"Initially you were charged with attempted murder and you have been in prison for quite long, so justice will not be saved if we add more months. What I find undesirable is that you failed to act maturely.
"This is common in rural areas, you should have cautioned him than to revenge worse by attacking him," Rosemani said.
Ncube was sentenced to three months in prison, which was wholly suspended on condition he performs 105 hours of community service at Zimbabwe Republic Police, Jambezi.
Andrew Ncube of BH45 Jambezi, under Chief Shana, was convicted on his own plea of guilty when he appeared before Victoria Falls resident magistrate Sharon Rosemani on Friday.
The court was told that on April 7 at around 4pm, Thulani Moyo (26) went to his field and found six donkeys belonging to Ncube grazing with Ncube herding them.
A misunderstanding arose between the two with Ncube indicating that it was out of revenge as Moyo's donkeys had previously grazed in his field.
As they were quarrelling Ncube approached Moyo and pushed him down threatening to kill him.
He then took an axe he was holding and struck him on the left side of the head and he fell unconscious. Ncube fled the scene leaving the axe behind.
Moyo was rushed to hospital by his mother Esther Nkosi who had witnessed the fight. Ncube was arrested the following day.
Rosemani told Ncube that she had considered his mitigation, but what worsened the offence was that he had failed to act like a mature person.
"In coming up with appropriate sentence I considered that you are 41 years old and you were a first offender," he said.
"Initially you were charged with attempted murder and you have been in prison for quite long, so justice will not be saved if we add more months. What I find undesirable is that you failed to act maturely.
"This is common in rural areas, you should have cautioned him than to revenge worse by attacking him," Rosemani said.
Ncube was sentenced to three months in prison, which was wholly suspended on condition he performs 105 hours of community service at Zimbabwe Republic Police, Jambezi.
Source - Southern Eye
