Mozambican gets 65 years in jail for strangling woman and her child

THE Chipata High Court has sentenced a 26-year-old Mozambican national to 65 years imprisonment with hard labour for strangling a Chadiza mother and her baby and attempting to murder another.

Before Lusaka-based High Court Judge Mwila Chitabo was Jose Antonio Goliad, who was charged with one count of attempted murder and two counts of murder.

Particulars of the offence are that Goliad of Kadyankhode village, Chief Kachele in Makanga district, Mozambique, on November 11, last year, in Chadiza, murdered Ellen Banda and her baby after drinking an illicit brew, kachasu. He was also charged with the attempted murder of Zeneida Phiri.

In passing judgment yesterday, Judge Chitabo said after reading the facts from both the state and defence that he was satisfied that Goliad brutally strangled the deceased using a chitenge wrapper. He said evidence suggests that the accused suffocated his victims and later went away with a five-litre container of kachasu.

Justice Chitabo said the convict attacked the deceased in her bedroom demanding change for the alcohol that he had bought. The court heard that Goliad bought kachasu worth K6 and turned violent while he was demanding K14 change.

It was during this process that he got a wrapper and strangled Ms Banda, who had a baby strapped to her back.

Particulars of the case further indicate that the deceased bled from her nose and ears as she was suffocating. The baby also suffocated and died.

Mr Justice Chitabo found the accused guilty in all counts and sentenced him to 20 years imprisonment in the first count.

And considering that Goliad committed the crimes in a drunken state, the court gave him 45 years imprisonment with hard labour in the second and third counts.

Justice Chitabo said the convict will first serve the sentences consecutively.