A 46-YEAR-OLD Murewa school deputy head, who raped and killed a 14-year-old pupil in a bid to destroy evidence, has been sentenced to hang for murder.
BY CHARLES LAITON
Bernard Chivengwa, of Nyamhondoro Primary School, was sentenced last week by High Court judge, Justice Happius Zhou.
The judge sentenced Chivengwa to death after failing to find extenuating circumstances in a matter in which he abducted and killed Vaidah Mubaiwa of Dzapasi Village, Chief Mangwende in Murewa, on October 17 last year.
Prior to her death, Chivengwa had been lined up as a State witness in a rape matter in which she was to give evidence against Mubaiwa, who had sexually attacked her during the same year. The trial was to be conducted on November 16, 2015, but Mubaiwa waylaid, abducted and killed her before the trial date.
State prosecutor, Austin Muziwi presented that Chivengwa appeared at the Murewa Regional Magistrates’ Court on September 30, 2015 for trial on a rape charge and was warned to attend court on November 16 together with Mubaiwa.
On October 17, the court heard, Chivengwa attempted to ambush Mubaiwa, who was alone at home, in a bid to abduct her, but the latter escaped and proceeded to report to Mubaiwa’s mother, Maud, who was her neighbour. Maud is then said to have instructed two girls to go and verify the identity of the alleged abductor and they discovered it was Chivengwa, who, at the time, had hidden in a storm drain.
On the same day at around 6:30pm, Mubaiwa, while in the company of Chengetai and Shantel Chivengwa, decided to go back home and secure her doors, but when she went to the bathroom at the back of the house, Chivengwa grabbed her in full view of Chengetai and Shantel and dragged her away.
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After identifying their uncle as the abductor, the two girls rushed back home screaming and reported to Maud that Mubaiwa had been abducted by Chivengwa.
Courage Chipuriro discovered Mubaiwa’s body the following day dumped in a gumtree plantation.
The matter was reported to police and when the detectives arrested Chivengwa, they discovered that the shoe prints at the murder scene were similar to those of the shoes he was wearing.
