Man 'kills' aunt in row over lobola share

A DETE man was yesterday arraigned before the High Court for allegedly killing his 69-year old aunt by strangling her in a rage after he did not receive a share from a lobola payment.

Chezati Phiri, 33, from Ndangababi village under Chief Nekatambe, is alleged to have murdered Anna Moyo after she only shared the $100 lobola payment with her son in June this year.

Phiri pleaded not guilty to a murder charge when he appeared before Bulawayo High Court Judge Justice Lawrence Kamocha on circuit in Hwange.

Justice Kamocha, with Elias Ndlovu and Elizabeth Chazanga as assessors, poked holes into the defence submissions and said the evidence was clear for all to see in a matter in which sentencing is expected today.

"The evidence is quite clear; Phiri was left with Anna Moyo for a short while and then she was found dead in his company. The defence is allowed to have no further submissions as to arguing against clear evidence despite instructions from the client," said Kamocha.

Prosecuting, Namatirai Ngwasha told of how on June 5 this year, Moyo received $100 in cash as part of lobola payment for her niece, Thobekile Nkiwane. Moyo shared the amount with her son, July Nyathi, who took $40.

She kept the remainder for herself.

Phiri, the court heard, had expected a sizeable share from the lobola payment.

Two days later at about 3PM, Phiri arrived home from Cross Dete Business Centre where he had been drinking beer and found Moyo in the company of her daughter-in-law, Ruth Sibanda and Nkiwane.

Sibanda and Nkiwane soon left the homestead to collect a goat from another homestead while Moyo and Phiri were embroiled in a heated exchange over the lobola money.

"Phiri strangled Moyo as they were left alone at the home before Nkiwane and Sibanda returned after an hour where they found Phiri sobbing, claiming that Moyo was dead. The two women tried to render first aid on Moyo to no avail," said the prosecutor.

Nkiwane, Sibanda and Nyathi took to the stand and corroborated with the state case and a postmortem was presented in court.

Through his defence counsel, Givemore Mvhiringi of Dube and Company, Phiri said Moyo had not been feeling well.

"After waking up from a brief rest, Phiri proceeded to Moyo's hut to ask whether Nkiwane and Sibanda had returned from their errand when he discovered that she had passed away. Phiri called the neighbours for assistance," said the lawyer.

"My client admits that he indeed asked Moyo about his share of the lobola money in the presence of Nkiwane and Sibanda but was told to talk to Nyathi concerning his share from the $40."

Mvhiringi said Phiri did not kill Moyo and he had no idea who had committed the heinous strangulation.