A BANKET man who raped and then strangled his seven-year-old victim four years ago, was yesterday slapped with a death sentence by High Court judge Justice Joseph Musakwa.
BY CHARLES LAITON
Casper Chihota (28), who was convicted of murder with actual intent, got capital punishment after failing to provide the court with special circumstances in a matter where he tied his niece’s body to a shrub in a bid to stage-manage the girl’s suicide.
The callous murder occurred at Riverhead Farm in Banket on June 18, 2011.
Justice Musakwa heard that on the fateful day, Chihota lured the girl to a secluded area where he raped and strangled her using a tree bark.
According to the State’s evidence, the incident occurred when Chihota stalked the now deceased who was in the company of her two siblings whom he had sent to collect milk from Collin Gandiwa’s homestead.
Justice Musakwa further heard that while the three girls were on their way to Gandiwa’s homestead, Chihota followed and caught up with them at a bridge along Preston Road at which juncture he separated his victim from her sisters and led her to a nearby vegetable garden and then into a bush.
The court heard, while in the bush, Chihota raped and strangled her and fled the scene.
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However, investigations by the police led to his arrest and prosecution.
Through his lawyer, Fortune Murisi, Chihota had denied the murder charge saying it had been trumped up by one James Bopoto who held a grudge against him, an assertion which Justice Musakwa dismissed.
He also said the said grudge between him and Bopoto came about soon after causing the latter’s arrest for stealing his (Chihota) three bags of cement. Douglas Chesa appeared for the State.
