GWERU — A 38-year-old Gokwe man who in 2009 fatally axed his ex-wife accusing her of infidelity was yesterday sentenced to 10 years after he was found guilty of murder during a High Court circuit hearing presided over by Justice Mafios Cheda.
REPORT BY STEPHEN CHADENGA
The court heard that Garai Siatemba struck his ex-wife Anna Mpofu several times on the head and ribs, leading to her death after suspecting that she had an extra-marital affair with his younger brother when they were still married.
Justice Cheda found Siatemba guilty of murder with actual intent, but took into consideration extenuating circumstances that he had caught his ex-wife twice in a compromising position with his brother hence the court could not ignore the fact that he was offended when he committed the murder.
The court also considered that Siatemba had stayed in remand prison for four years since his arrest in 2009.
“We cannot lose sight that a life has been lost,” Justice Cheda said before passing sentence.
Prosecutor Tafadzwa Mpariwa said on June 4 2009, Siatemba of Madenyika village under Chief Nemangwe in Gokwe South met Mpofu who was coming from a borehole. He attempted to stop Mpofu saying he wanted to talk to her, but she told him to follow her.
Siatemba remained behind, but later caught up with Mpofu and struck her in the back of the head with an axe and struck her several times in the ribs after she collapsed. Mpofu died on her way to Sesame Baptist Clinic.
