Man sentenced to 12 months in jail for axing village Chief

A 24-year-old Mvurwi man who axed chief Makope over felling a forbidden tree was slapped with 12 months jail term by Bindura magistrate on 30 March.

Belington Nyamadzawo (24) was convicted of assault. Bindura magistrate sentenced him to 12 months in prison, 4 months were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence in the next five years.

The state alleges that on 3 March 2017 Nyamadzawo chopped down a Musasa tree that has been in Chief Makope's shrine for years and Makope's advisor Norman Mondoka confronted him but continued with his act.

Chief Makope (Jacob Mapirinjanja) finally came to the scene and ordered Nyamadzawo to stop cutting the tree he turned the axe on Makope and struck him three times on the shoulder.



A medical report was presented in court, though the police were charging him with attempted murder the courts found him guilty of assault.

Meanwhile, the Nyamadzawo family was arraigned before Chief Negomo's village court and was ordered to pay 5 beasts for undermining the authority of the chief.