News / National
Woman acquitted of murdering hubby
28 Mar 2013 at 04:56hrs | Views
A DANGAMVURA woman who stabbed her husband to death with a kitchen knife following a domestic dispute over sadza has been acquitted of murder by a High Court Judge.
Gladys Tandire was lucky to escape jail after Justice Susan Mavangire ruled that she acted in self defence when she fatally stabbed her husband, Ottis Zumara, in July last year.
The court heard that the two quarreled on July 12 at their rented house in Dangamvura Area C.
The deceased slapped his wife following the misunderstanding and a fist fight ensued.
A neighbour, Stuart Mushonga heard the noise and he went out to stop Zumara from assaulting his wife, but the deceased wrestled him to the ground. Tandire went to the kitchen and armed herself with a kitchen knife.
Law officer, Mrs Nyamaropa told the court that Zumara then charged towards his wife who stabbed him with the kitchen knife once on the chest.
Zumara bled profusely and died on the spot.
Neighbours arrived at the scene and summoned an ambulance to pick up Zumara.
However, by the time the ambulance arrived he was dead.
Neighbours said the couple was in the habit of quarrelling almost daily.
The couple's housemaid Charity Machemedze also testified.
She said: "The deceased grabbed Tandire by the throat and struck her with blows. Mushonga tried to stop them but the deceased overpowered him and he charged towards the accused and he was stabbed."
In passing judgment, Justice Mavangire took into consideration the extenuating factors that the deceased was a violent person and the accused wanted to protect herself from the deceased as well as the evidence revealed during the trial showed that Tandire had no intention to kill her husband.
Gladys Tandire was lucky to escape jail after Justice Susan Mavangire ruled that she acted in self defence when she fatally stabbed her husband, Ottis Zumara, in July last year.
The court heard that the two quarreled on July 12 at their rented house in Dangamvura Area C.
The deceased slapped his wife following the misunderstanding and a fist fight ensued.
A neighbour, Stuart Mushonga heard the noise and he went out to stop Zumara from assaulting his wife, but the deceased wrestled him to the ground. Tandire went to the kitchen and armed herself with a kitchen knife.
Law officer, Mrs Nyamaropa told the court that Zumara then charged towards his wife who stabbed him with the kitchen knife once on the chest.
Neighbours arrived at the scene and summoned an ambulance to pick up Zumara.
However, by the time the ambulance arrived he was dead.
Neighbours said the couple was in the habit of quarrelling almost daily.
The couple's housemaid Charity Machemedze also testified.
She said: "The deceased grabbed Tandire by the throat and struck her with blows. Mushonga tried to stop them but the deceased overpowered him and he charged towards the accused and he was stabbed."
In passing judgment, Justice Mavangire took into consideration the extenuating factors that the deceased was a violent person and the accused wanted to protect herself from the deceased as well as the evidence revealed during the trial showed that Tandire had no intention to kill her husband.
Source - MP
