News / Regional
Man acquitted for fatally axing father
01 Feb 2015 at 11:37hrs | Views
A 31-YEAR-OLD man from Gokwe who fatally struck his father with an axe on the head escaped jail after he was acquitted of murder due to insanity.
Obey Mutero of Mutero Village under Chief Mkoka in Gokwe South appeared before Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Lawrence Kamocha in Gweru.
Justice Kamocha who is on circuit in Gweru passed a special judgment after considering that Mutero was not in charge of his mental faculties when he committed the crime.
Mutero will be sent to Mlondolozi Psychiatric Centre for rehabilitation.
The State's case was that on 4 August 2010 at around 3pm, Obey, who was 27 years old then, fatally struck his father Mwendo Mutero (63) while he was asleep.
On the said date and time, Obey proceeded to his father's bedroom hut while armed with an axe.
Obey got inside the house and without saying anything struck the deceased on the head once with the axe and once on the left hand and ran away.
Obey's mother Ms Lina Mpofu heard her husband screaming and rushed to the house and found him lying on the floor bleeding profusely.
Mpofu took Mutero to Kana Rural Hospital but was transferred to Gokwe District Hospital where he died on admission.
The matter was then reported to the police leading to Obey's arrest.
He was examined by a psychiatrist doctor who concluded that there is a reasonable possibility that at the time of the commission of the crime, Obey was suffering from a mental disorder (substance induced psychosis).
Appearing before the same court, was Tinevimbo Mangena (29) of Robson Village under Chief Matamba in Mberengwa who fatally stabbed his friend with a knife in the chest following a misunderstanding over opaque beer.
Mangena was found not guilty of murder due to insanity.
Justice Kamocha considered that Mangena was mentally disturbed and therefore could not be legally responsible for his actions.
He will be sent to Mlondolozi for rehabilitation.
The State's case was that on 14 January 2009 Mangena was drinking beer at Zijena Bottle Store in Murongwe Business Centre in Mberengwa in the company of his friends when Chrispen Shiri joined them and sat opposite Mangena.
Mangena bought two litres of Chibuku beer which he shook while facing Shiri and the container accidentally burst.
The beer spread onto Shiri and other patrons and the now deceased confronted Mangena for messing his clothes.
Mangena held Shiri by the belt and dragged him outside the bottle store where he produced a flick knife and stabbed him once on the left side of his chest.
Shiri died on the spot. The matter was reported to the police leading to Mangena's arrest.
Mangena was then examined by a psychiatrist while at Mlondolozi Special institution from December 2013 to June last year and the doctor concluded that there is a reasonable possibility that at the time of the commission of the crime, Mangena was suffering from mental disorder.
Mr Tafadzwa Mpariwa appeared for the State.
Obey Mutero of Mutero Village under Chief Mkoka in Gokwe South appeared before Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Lawrence Kamocha in Gweru.
Justice Kamocha who is on circuit in Gweru passed a special judgment after considering that Mutero was not in charge of his mental faculties when he committed the crime.
Mutero will be sent to Mlondolozi Psychiatric Centre for rehabilitation.
The State's case was that on 4 August 2010 at around 3pm, Obey, who was 27 years old then, fatally struck his father Mwendo Mutero (63) while he was asleep.
On the said date and time, Obey proceeded to his father's bedroom hut while armed with an axe.
Obey got inside the house and without saying anything struck the deceased on the head once with the axe and once on the left hand and ran away.
Obey's mother Ms Lina Mpofu heard her husband screaming and rushed to the house and found him lying on the floor bleeding profusely.
Mpofu took Mutero to Kana Rural Hospital but was transferred to Gokwe District Hospital where he died on admission.
The matter was then reported to the police leading to Obey's arrest.
He was examined by a psychiatrist doctor who concluded that there is a reasonable possibility that at the time of the commission of the crime, Obey was suffering from a mental disorder (substance induced psychosis).
Appearing before the same court, was Tinevimbo Mangena (29) of Robson Village under Chief Matamba in Mberengwa who fatally stabbed his friend with a knife in the chest following a misunderstanding over opaque beer.
Mangena was found not guilty of murder due to insanity.
Justice Kamocha considered that Mangena was mentally disturbed and therefore could not be legally responsible for his actions.
He will be sent to Mlondolozi for rehabilitation.
The State's case was that on 14 January 2009 Mangena was drinking beer at Zijena Bottle Store in Murongwe Business Centre in Mberengwa in the company of his friends when Chrispen Shiri joined them and sat opposite Mangena.
Mangena bought two litres of Chibuku beer which he shook while facing Shiri and the container accidentally burst.
The beer spread onto Shiri and other patrons and the now deceased confronted Mangena for messing his clothes.
Mangena held Shiri by the belt and dragged him outside the bottle store where he produced a flick knife and stabbed him once on the left side of his chest.
Shiri died on the spot. The matter was reported to the police leading to Mangena's arrest.
Mangena was then examined by a psychiatrist while at Mlondolozi Special institution from December 2013 to June last year and the doctor concluded that there is a reasonable possibility that at the time of the commission of the crime, Mangena was suffering from mental disorder.
Mr Tafadzwa Mpariwa appeared for the State.
Source - Sunday News
