News / National
Man kills girlfriend over infidelity
28 Apr 2022 at 09:06hrs | Views
HIGH Court judge, Justice David Foroma, has caged a Bindura man, Brian Chikanya, 20 years for murdering his girlfriend in cold blood over infidelity allegations.
Chikanya killed his girlfriend, Sarah Munhu, on the night of August 10, 2017, in an event which left the Ushongani community shocked.
Munhu's body was found lying by the roadside the following morning, with several fractures, confirming the brutal attack she succumbed to.
She was also found wearing Chikanya's underwear, with indications that he had been intimate with her before the attack.
In passing sentence, Foroma said Chikanya's actions cannot be justified under any circumstances.
"What aggravates the offence is that the accused sought to conceal the crime by taking the corpse to the roadside, where it was found the following morning by a passer-by.
"Every person has a right to the God given gift of life, which the constitution of this country considers to be a fundamental right. Courts have an obligation to protect every person's right, and will always guard jealously the said.
"A message should be sent to the offender and any like minded, that violence, in this day and age of civilised human behaviour, will not be tolerated, no matter the circumstances.
"Crimes of passion are occurring much too often and are evidence of domestic violence, which courts will always frown upon, "he said.
During the trial, it emerged that Chikanya was having an affair with Munhu but her children were not aware and regarded him as their uncle.
On the fateful day, Chikanya even went with Munhu's son to do some menial jobs before he passed through her home that evening.
Munhu later went to his house and footprints showed that she never left the hut alive.
An altercation arose while they were in bed, resulting in Chikanya fatally assaulting her.
After killing her, he cleaned the house and took the soiled blankets to his kitchen, trying to conceal the offence.
During the night, he carried Munhu's corpse and left it by the roadside.
The following morning he pretended not to be privy to the on goings.
He went to Munhu's homestead and took her children to the scene without disclosing what had happened.
The children only got to know that their mother had passed on when they got to the scene.
An alert police officer attending the scene, Constable Mangidza, of Munhenga Police Station, managed to pick signs that he was involved in the murder of Munhu.
She then asked him to accompany the children to the police station to give their statements, saying this was convenient because he was the one who brought them to the scene.
Munhenga alerted her colleagues, who then arrested Chikanya upon his arrival at the police station with Munhu's children.
It was established that he killed Munhu using a chisel, hammer and a wooden stool.
Chikanya killed his girlfriend, Sarah Munhu, on the night of August 10, 2017, in an event which left the Ushongani community shocked.
Munhu's body was found lying by the roadside the following morning, with several fractures, confirming the brutal attack she succumbed to.
She was also found wearing Chikanya's underwear, with indications that he had been intimate with her before the attack.
In passing sentence, Foroma said Chikanya's actions cannot be justified under any circumstances.
"What aggravates the offence is that the accused sought to conceal the crime by taking the corpse to the roadside, where it was found the following morning by a passer-by.
"Every person has a right to the God given gift of life, which the constitution of this country considers to be a fundamental right. Courts have an obligation to protect every person's right, and will always guard jealously the said.
"A message should be sent to the offender and any like minded, that violence, in this day and age of civilised human behaviour, will not be tolerated, no matter the circumstances.
"Crimes of passion are occurring much too often and are evidence of domestic violence, which courts will always frown upon, "he said.
During the trial, it emerged that Chikanya was having an affair with Munhu but her children were not aware and regarded him as their uncle.
On the fateful day, Chikanya even went with Munhu's son to do some menial jobs before he passed through her home that evening.
Munhu later went to his house and footprints showed that she never left the hut alive.
An altercation arose while they were in bed, resulting in Chikanya fatally assaulting her.
After killing her, he cleaned the house and took the soiled blankets to his kitchen, trying to conceal the offence.
During the night, he carried Munhu's corpse and left it by the roadside.
The following morning he pretended not to be privy to the on goings.
He went to Munhu's homestead and took her children to the scene without disclosing what had happened.
The children only got to know that their mother had passed on when they got to the scene.
An alert police officer attending the scene, Constable Mangidza, of Munhenga Police Station, managed to pick signs that he was involved in the murder of Munhu.
She then asked him to accompany the children to the police station to give their statements, saying this was convenient because he was the one who brought them to the scene.
Munhenga alerted her colleagues, who then arrested Chikanya upon his arrival at the police station with Munhu's children.
It was established that he killed Munhu using a chisel, hammer and a wooden stool.
Source - NewZimbabwe
