Man fatally strikes brother with log

A MUTARE man who struck his brother to death using a log will spend the next 10 years in prison after he was convicted of the murder by a Mutare High Court judge.

Talent Chakabva (33) was being charged with murder as defined in Section 47 (1) (a) or (b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23. Public prosecutor, Mr Jonathan Chingwinyiso said the crime was committed following a misunderstanding between the siblings.

The court heard that on August 15 last year the suspect and his brother Gabriel were at their parents' homestead in Mayo drinking Super Chibuku beer. While having fun the deceased advised Chakabva to desist from having extra-marital affairs with married women in the community.

This led to an altercation which resulted in the suspect leaving the deceased. Moments later the deceased bade farewell to his parents who had already retired to bed. However, he was then waylaid on his way to his homestead by the suspect who struck him with a log once on the right cheek.

He fell to the ground and became unconscious. The deceased bled from the nose, right ear and mouth.  Their mother rushed to the scene when she heard the suspect shouting to the deceased that he was faking his death and ordering him to get up. When she arrived the suspect was armed with a log and told her in the face that "your bull has died".

She rushed and called neighbours who tried to resuscitate the deceased using first aid techniques but to no avail.

Chakabva then disappeared from the scene with the log he had used to strike his brother.

A post mortem carried out by Dr Roberto Trecu established that the cause of death was severe cerebral oedema subarachnoid haemorrhage and head trauma due to blunt trauma.