Woman caged 14 years for axing husband

HIGH Court judge Justice Lucy Mungwari has sentenced a Chivhu woman to 14 years in jail for fatally axing her husband in the presence of their daughter, accusing him of infidelity.

The court heard that on September 12, 2020, Chenai Togara axed her husband Benjamin Sambara in full view of their 14-year-old daughter on September 12, 2020 over an extra-marital affair.

Sambara succumbed to the injuries a day later at Chivhu Hospital.

Togara said she was acting in self-defence.

In her defence, Togara said Sambara threatened to axe her before she grabbed the axe and attacked him.

But Mungwari ruled that Togara intentionally murdered her husband.

"The only logical conclusion is that she failed to explain her version of events because she struck the deceased while he had his back to her," Mungwari said.

"The court concluded that the injury noted on the back part of the deceased's thigh could only have been inflicted because the deceased had relented in attacking the accused and was either fleeing or walking away with his back to the accused."

Mungwari said Togara did not show any remorse but focused on exonerating herself.

Mungwari also sentenced a 30-year-old Harare man, McDonald Chiveto to four years in jail for fatally striking his 22-year-old wife with an iron bar.

The incident happened on February 14 last year following a domestic dispute.

But Mungwari ruled that Chiveto negligently caused the death of his wife.