News / National
Man kills granny over witchcraft
31 Oct 2013 at 03:01hrs | Views
A MENTALLY–CHALLENGED Bindura convict Lawrence Musanjiko last week escaped the hangman's noose after Harare High Court judge Justice Joseph Musakwa retained a special verdict on him over the murder of his step-grandmother.
Justice Musakwa ruled that when Musanjiko struck and killed Agnes Kapomba with a hoe, he was mentally unstable. The murder incident which left other villagers in shock occurred at Nyamakura Farm in Bindura on May 5, 2011. The court heard that on the day in question, Musanjiko visited his mother, Mayoress Kumbutsani, who was staying with his (Musanjiko's) stepfather at the farm.
Upon arrival Musanjiko accused his parents of bewitching and planning to kill him, an accusation which later degenerated into a commotion prompting Musanjiko to assault his uncle, Christopher Kumbutsani and his stepfather.
At that particular time Musanjiko's mother escaped and proceeded to Kapomba's homestead seeking refuge, but Musanjiko followed and caught up with her as she was in the process of narrating her ordeal to Kapomba.
The court heard Musanjiko charged at his mother and hit her on her back with a hoe, but she managed to escape before he could inflict serious injuries on her.
However, Kapomba failed to escape and was cornered by Musanjiko who then attacked her with a log on the chest felling her in the process. As Kapomba was lying on the ground, the court heard, Musanjiko struck her several times with a hoe all over until she lost consciousness.
When other villagers arrived intending to rescue Kapomba, they discovered she had already died and the matter was reported to police leading to his arrest. Musanjiko was represented by Isaya Sithole, while the State was represented by Concellia Maheya.
Justice Musakwa ruled that when Musanjiko struck and killed Agnes Kapomba with a hoe, he was mentally unstable. The murder incident which left other villagers in shock occurred at Nyamakura Farm in Bindura on May 5, 2011. The court heard that on the day in question, Musanjiko visited his mother, Mayoress Kumbutsani, who was staying with his (Musanjiko's) stepfather at the farm.
Upon arrival Musanjiko accused his parents of bewitching and planning to kill him, an accusation which later degenerated into a commotion prompting Musanjiko to assault his uncle, Christopher Kumbutsani and his stepfather.
At that particular time Musanjiko's mother escaped and proceeded to Kapomba's homestead seeking refuge, but Musanjiko followed and caught up with her as she was in the process of narrating her ordeal to Kapomba.
The court heard Musanjiko charged at his mother and hit her on her back with a hoe, but she managed to escape before he could inflict serious injuries on her.
However, Kapomba failed to escape and was cornered by Musanjiko who then attacked her with a log on the chest felling her in the process. As Kapomba was lying on the ground, the court heard, Musanjiko struck her several times with a hoe all over until she lost consciousness.
When other villagers arrived intending to rescue Kapomba, they discovered she had already died and the matter was reported to police leading to his arrest. Musanjiko was represented by Isaya Sithole, while the State was represented by Concellia Maheya.
Source - newsday
