News / Regional
Donga, of Kukhulwa Kokuphela, murderers get lighter sentences
07 Jul 2011 at 08:20hrs | Views
Two men who fatally assaulted
their younger brother Robert Mele aka Donga following a heated dispute
over a family estate were spared imprisonment after the Hwange High
Court took their advanced age into account.
WIN YOUR TICKET FOR THE BOSSO versus CELTIC Match
Frank Ndlovu (74) and Edward Mele (71) who are siblings, were convicted of culpable homicide when they appeared before High Court judge Justice Lawrence Kamocha.
The deceased, Robert Mele, was a renowned artiste who featured as Donga in a local Ndebele drama, Kukhulwa Kokhupela.
Justice Kamocha sentenced each of the brothers to three years in prison of which two years were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
The remaining one year was suspended on condition they completed 240 hours of community service at Tsholotsho Police Station.
Sentencing them to a non-custodial term, Justice Kamocha noted that jailing them would not benefit society in anyway because of their advanced age.
Charges against the pair stemmed from February 9 2007 in the morning, when Frank and Robert met their elder brother Edward at Tsholotsho Business Centre where they started drinking beer.
At about 5pm, the trio left for Edward's homestead in Makwakweni where on arrival they picked an argument over their deceased mother's estate.
Frank hit Robert once on the forehead with a fist and he fell down. He then kicked him on the chest and neck.
Edward also joined in and assaulted him on the legs with a hosepipe.
Robert left the homestead, but was found lying unconscious the following day near Tsholosthso Business Centre.
WIN YOUR TICKET FOR THE BOSSO versus CELTIC Match
Frank Ndlovu (74) and Edward Mele (71) who are siblings, were convicted of culpable homicide when they appeared before High Court judge Justice Lawrence Kamocha.
The deceased, Robert Mele, was a renowned artiste who featured as Donga in a local Ndebele drama, Kukhulwa Kokhupela.
Justice Kamocha sentenced each of the brothers to three years in prison of which two years were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
Sentencing them to a non-custodial term, Justice Kamocha noted that jailing them would not benefit society in anyway because of their advanced age.
Charges against the pair stemmed from February 9 2007 in the morning, when Frank and Robert met their elder brother Edward at Tsholotsho Business Centre where they started drinking beer.
At about 5pm, the trio left for Edward's homestead in Makwakweni where on arrival they picked an argument over their deceased mother's estate.
Frank hit Robert once on the forehead with a fist and he fell down. He then kicked him on the chest and neck.
Edward also joined in and assaulted him on the legs with a hosepipe.
Robert left the homestead, but was found lying unconscious the following day near Tsholosthso Business Centre.
Source - Court
