A 24-YEAR-OLD Airforce of Zimbabwe member, Blessmore Shatei, who shot and killed his female workmate at Manyame Airbase after a foiled rape attempt, was on Wednesday slapped with life imprisonment after being convicted of murder with actual intent.
BY CHARLES LAITON
High Court judge Justice Tawanda Chitapi convicted Shatei, who had pleaded not guilty to shooting and killing Venah Bokosha alleging that Bokosha was killed by her own AK47, which accidentally discharged while the two were wrestling for it after she had thwarted his attempts to rape her.
Shatei, however, failed to explain to the court why Bokosha’s body was then dragged and hidden away from the shooting scene and further failed to explain why the body was recovered naked with her army jeans pulled down to ankle level.
A police officer, who attended the murder scene during investigations Brodgia Maponga, told the court that when he arrived at the scene he saw blood spoor that led him to Bokosha’s body.
Maponga said he noticed the body was covered with dry gumtree branches and that there was an AK47 rifle beside the body adding when he removed the branches he noticed Bokosha was wearing her army uniform, but her underwear and denim jean had been pulled to the ankle level.
Maponga further said he also noticed a bloodstained sanitary pad on the ground and that Bokosha had what appeared to be a gunshot wound just below the left ear.
According to the State’s case on April 26, 2015, Bokosha was on duty at Bomb Dump where Shatei was supposed to take over from her at 6pm together with one Freddy Muchinapa.
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The court heard at around 6pm Shatei was seen by Prince Maphosa in his army uniform heading towards the Bomb Dump but shortly thereafter a gunshot was heard coming from the Bomb Dump direction.
The following day, Bokosha’s body was discovered by Rudo Makaza covered with dry gumtree shrubs in a bushy area between Bomb Dump and Married Quarters.
Albert Masamha represented the State while Shatei was being represented by Ignatious Goto.
