Man beats mom to death

A BINGA man was yesterday sentenced to an effective nine years in jail for assaulting his 80-year-old mother to death following a dispute over cattle which he inherited from his father.

Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nokuthula Moyo, during a circuit in Hwange yesterday, convicted Solomon Dube, 45 of Lubimbi village of a charge of culpable homicide in connection with the death of his mother Esica Dube six months ago.

Dube, who was initially facing a murder charge, offered a limited plea of guilty to a lesser charge of culpable homicide.

In passing sentence, Justice Moyo said Dube's conduct was deplorable and taboo in African society.

"What is aggravating is that Dube chose to assault his mother instead of showing respect. Although Dube was provoked by his mother's conduct of taking cattle that he inherited from his late father and giving them to his sister, his actions cannot be condoned. In fact, he should have sought dialogue with his mother or elders rather than resorting to violence," said Justice Moyo.

The judge said the courts had a duty to uphold the sanctity of human life.

"It is an act of abomination and a taboo in our African society to assault a parent or your elders. The courts are inundated with cases of domestic violence where lives are unnecessarily lost. Although beer drinking is some form of merry making during leisure time, it should, however, not be a reason to kill each other," said Justice Moyo.

"Life is sacred and these courts have time and again frowned upon such deplorable conduct. He will certainly live to regret his actions which will haunt him forever.

"This is a very bad case of culpable homicide and accordingly a nine year prison term will meet the justice of this matter."

Prosecuting, Namatirai Ngwasha said on May 31 this year at about 7PM, Dube was seated in his bedroom hut with his son shortly after returning from a beer drink when his mother arrived at his home.

The court heard that Dube's mother enquired from Dube's son about the whereabouts of her cattle.

"While talking to her grandson, Dube sprang from his chair and confronted his mother accusing her of taking his cattle and giving them to his sister," said Ngwasha.

In a fit of rage, Dube, who was drunk, grabbed his mother's walking stick and used it to strike her several times on the head, face and chest. She cried for help and Dube fled from the scene leaving the old woman lying on the floor writhing in pain.

Neighbours came and took her to Lubimbi Clinic but she died along the way.

According to the post mortem report, pathologists concluded that the cause of death was due to brain haemorrhage, multiple injuries and assault.

Dube, through his lawyer Tonderai Mukuku of Marondedze and Mukuku legal practitioners, said it was not his intention to kill, but had negligently caused his mother's death.

In mitigation, Ndlovu pleaded for leniency saying he was being tormented by his mother's spirit in prison. He said at the time of committing the crime, he was drunk. Dube told the court that he is also a breadwinner looking after his wife and four minor children.