A 20-YEAR-OLD Harare man, Tafadzwa Mupotaringa, who early this month attempted to strangle his aunt following a wrangle over the sharing of spoils from his late father’s rented house, was on Friday slapped with a five-year jail sentence for attempted murder. BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
Mupotaringa will, however, serve an effective prison term of four years after magistrate Estere Chivasa suspended one year on condition of good behaviour.
In passing sentence, Chivasa said she had considered that Mupotaringa had premeditated his plan by sneaking into complainant, Beauty Mushipe’s bedroom while wearing a mask.
The court heard that on October 2 this year, Mupotaringa, who had been staying in Bulawayo, visited Mushipe’s residence demanding his share of rentals accruing from his late father’s Highfield house.
The court heard that Mupotaringa left her aunt’s residence after a nasty verbal exchange over the matter and later came back around midnight wearing a mask. He stormed into Mushipe’s bedroom and attempted to strangle her. Mushipe screamed for help and her son, Martin Mushipe, rushed to the scene and pushed Mupotaringa away from his mother.
Mupotaringa then fled the scene as Mushipe reported the matter at Mabelreign Police Station.
Mushipe was taken to the Michael Gerfand Hospital where she was admitted for medical examination and an affidavit was produced in court as exhibit.
