THE Supreme Court has upheld death sentences for two murder convicts, one of them who killed a member of the neighbourhood watch committee after being arrested for stealing a goat and an armed robber who shot dead his victim during a robbery.
Report by Richard Muponde
Maxwell Moyo and Leo Matimbe, who killed their victims in 2007 and 2009 respectively, had their appeals against both conviction and sentence dismissed by the Supreme Court on Monday.
The pair had been sentenced to death by the High Court in 2010. The Supreme Court panel comprising Chief Justice Chidyausiku, Justice Vernanda Ziyambi and High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese dismissed the applications, noting that there were no extenuating circumstances in both cases.
Moyo stabbed his victim, Pati Dube — a member of the Kezi neighbourhood watch committee — as he was being escorted to the police station in 2007.
On Moyo’s appeal, Chidyausiku said: “His youthfulness could have been extenuating, but the manner in which the offence was committed could not be said the court aquo (the court under scrutiny) misdirected itself.
“Therefore, we are satisfied that the conviction could not be set aside and the sentence is proper and the appeal is dismissed.”
The court said Matimbe was callous in the manner he killed his victim only identified as Jacobus, whom he fatally shot after posing as a police officer.
