'Make your daughter marry me or I will kill you'

A 34-year-old man from Gamba Village in Hwange has been fined US$150 after threatening to murder a fellow villager who refused to marry off his daughter to him. Irvine Shoko appeared at the Hwange Magistrates Court on charges of threatening to commit murder and possession of prohibited knives.

Shoko was ordered to pay the fine or serve three months in jail. Additionally, he received a three-month suspended sentence, contingent on not committing a similar offense within the next five years.

The court heard that on the evening of June 6, Shoko visited Possent Nyathi's homestead at around 10 p.m., demanding to marry Nyathi's daughter. However, Nyathi informed Shoko that his daughter was already married to another man. Angered by the response, Shoko reportedly threatened to kill Nyathi, prompting Nyathi to report the incident to the police.

Upon arrest, Shoko was found in possession of an okapi knife, a prohibited weapon under Zimbabwean law.

The National Prosecuting Authority confirmed that Shoko's threats and illegal possession of the knife led to his conviction. The court's sentence aimed to deter Shoko from engaging in similar criminal activities in the future.