Boy corporally punished for attempting to kill mate over a $1

A boy (16) has been slapped with four moderate strokes after he nearly killed another boy with a knife over a $1.

The boy pleaded guilty to attempted murder when he appeared before Hwange Regional Court magistrate Dambudzo Malunga.

Malunga convicted and sentenced him to four strokes. He was also given two years which were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.

The boy said he asked for his $1 from the complainant and when he said he did not have it, he got angry and started manhandling him.

"We started fighting and we fell on the ground. He over powered me and ended up on top of me. I panicked and withdrew my knife and stabbed him. I had no money left on me after I had paid my fees," he said.

The boy work as a cobbler, lumberjack, an brick moulder to raise money for fees and clothes as his father passed away and the stepfather does not want to take care of him.

The court heard that on August 8 2015 at 5:30pm the boy from Gwayi Compound in Dete was at Gwayi Business centre where he met the complainant who is also a juvenile and asked for his $1.

The two had a misunderstanding and the accused produced a knife and stabbed the complainant once on his back. The complainant was taken to Mpilo Hospital for treatment and a report made to the police led to the boy's arrest.