News / National
Meat lover jailed for killing wife
28 Mar 2015 at 09:20hrs | Views
THE Zimunya man who made headlines for killing his wife over pieces of meat which had been eaten by a stray dog will spend the next 22 years in jail after he was recently convicted of murder with constructive intent.
Misheck Manyengavana (30) was convicted by High Court judge Mr Justice Charles Hungwe who was in circuit in Mutare.In sentencing him, Justice Hungwe said Manyengavana was supposed to protect his wife and not to murder her as he did.
"This is an extremely bad case of domestic violence and one of the worst I have dealt with. The deceased died simply because she was your wife. Had it been your brother or another man, you would not have done what you did. Gender-based violence cases reflect badly on men because they are the usual perpetrators.
"Husbands should be protectors and guardians of their wives and families, but you acted in the opposite manner. Men who kill their wives should not expect mercy from the courts. The same also applies for women who kill their husbands," said Justice Hungwe.
It was the State's case that on the day in question, Manyengavana got home from a beerdrink at around 2pm. He asked his wife, Rhoda Bonyongwa, for the meat which he had instructed her to dry in the sun.
When he was told that a stray dog had helped itself to it, he would have none of it and attacked his wife with fists.
In a bid to save herself, Bonyongwa sought refuge at a neighbour's homestead.
However, the neighbour, Nicodemus Kapfumvuti, had to release her after Manyengavana threatened to cause havoc at his place. All the neighbours failed to control the accused who was just wild. He proceeded to bash his wife with a stick. Despite having inflicted several injuries on her, Manyengavana did not take his wife to hospital and she died the following morning. The post-mortem produced in court stated that the deceased succumbed to a swollen head and a 6cm deep laceration which was exposing the bone of the skull. She also sustained severe head injuries, secondary to assault. Manicaland area prosecutor Ms Jane-Rose Matsikidze prosecuted.
Misheck Manyengavana (30) was convicted by High Court judge Mr Justice Charles Hungwe who was in circuit in Mutare.In sentencing him, Justice Hungwe said Manyengavana was supposed to protect his wife and not to murder her as he did.
"This is an extremely bad case of domestic violence and one of the worst I have dealt with. The deceased died simply because she was your wife. Had it been your brother or another man, you would not have done what you did. Gender-based violence cases reflect badly on men because they are the usual perpetrators.
It was the State's case that on the day in question, Manyengavana got home from a beerdrink at around 2pm. He asked his wife, Rhoda Bonyongwa, for the meat which he had instructed her to dry in the sun.
When he was told that a stray dog had helped itself to it, he would have none of it and attacked his wife with fists.
In a bid to save herself, Bonyongwa sought refuge at a neighbour's homestead.
However, the neighbour, Nicodemus Kapfumvuti, had to release her after Manyengavana threatened to cause havoc at his place. All the neighbours failed to control the accused who was just wild. He proceeded to bash his wife with a stick. Despite having inflicted several injuries on her, Manyengavana did not take his wife to hospital and she died the following morning. The post-mortem produced in court stated that the deceased succumbed to a swollen head and a 6cm deep laceration which was exposing the bone of the skull. She also sustained severe head injuries, secondary to assault. Manicaland area prosecutor Ms Jane-Rose Matsikidze prosecuted.
Source - manicapost
