Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. A 21-year-old man from Fort Rixon, Ntabazinduna has been sentenced to five years in jail after he killed another man following a fight, the Chronicle reports.
Kwanele Mhlanga (21) of Plot 5 Whitesrun Fort Rixon and the deceased Khulekani Ndlovu (26) of Stand 23 Mabuthweni Line, Chief Khayisa in Ntabazinduna were walking home from a beer drink when they started fighting.
They were in the company of other villagers including Manfred Dungeni who was initially jointly charged with Mhlanga before the State applied for separation of trial.
Prosecuting, Mrs Martha Cheda said Mhlanga and the now-deceased had a misunderstanding which degenerated into a fistfight before the accused drew a knife and attacked. Cheda said:
On the 21st of March 2020 and around midnight Mhlanga and Ndlovu and a group of friends were coming from a beer drink at Tsabatsaba bar. Mhlanga and Ndlovu had a misunderstanding and started exchanging harsh words.
She said the two started fighting upon which the deceased grabbed Mhlanga by the neck intending to strangle him.
The court was told that one of their colleagues Mr Witness Mafuyana pelted stones on Mhlanga as Ndlovu continued choking him.
The court heard that Mhlanga then produced a knife and stabbed Ndlovu once on the right thigh and once on the right arm.
Ndlovu then released Mhlanga while Mafuyana continued throwing stones at him.
Mhlanga fled from the scene leaving the deceased and Mafuyana.
A report was made to the police and Mhlanga was arrested after Ndlovu later died from the injuries.
Mhlanga pleaded not guilty to murder and guilty to a lesser charge of culpable homicide when he appeared before Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese who was on a circuit in Hwange recently.
The judge sentenced him to five years in jail before suspending two years on the condition of good behaviour.
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