Mvuma farm herdman jailed 20 years for axing workmate
By Dumisani Ndlovu
A farm worker from Mvuma, just a few kilometers outside Gweru, has been jailed 20 years for axing his workmate to death over milk sales.
Jaison Dzingira (23) of Plot number 30 Blinkwater, Mvuma recently appeared before Bulawayo High Court Judge, Justice Martin Makonese in Gweru for axing his workmate, Trust Munhuwei (29) twice on the head after the deceased failed to give him his share of money obtained from milk sales.
After Dzingira’s conviction, one of Munhuwei’s relatives, who declined to be identified for fear of victimisation, said Dzingira deserved life imprisonment but is content with the judgement.
“I am however overwhelmed with the guilty verdict for Dzingira in relation to the murder of my cousin, Jaison. I would like to thank the courts and the judge for the result.
“He will now get the justice that he deserves. “This has been the most traumatic time in my life and I now feel that I can slowly heal and move on after the decision made in court.
“My cousin will always be in my heart, God bless his soul,” he said.
The court heard how Dzingai killed Munhuwei by striking him twice on the head with an axe, intending to kill him.
“On 28 March 2020 you stricked the deceased with an axe twice on the heard realising that there was a real risk or possibility that your conduct may cause death but you continued to engage in that conduct despite the risk or possibility,” said state lawyer, Mirirai Shumba.
“Dzingira, who was aged 20 years at the time of committing the crime, made the brutal killing after an altercation over $22.50.
“Circumstances are that on the 24th of March 2020, the deceased, Munhuwei who was 29 years when he met his death, milked about 6 litres of cattle milk at their plot.
“The deceased then sold the milk for ZWL$45 in Mvuma location which they were supposed to share equally with the accused.
“On the same date at around 1700 hours the accused returned to the plot and asked the deceased to give him his share of ZWL$22.50 from the money obtained from selling of milk,” Prosecutor Shumba told the court.
He added that the deceased did not give the accused his share, citing that he had used it to buy cooking oil which they were supposed to use together.
“This angered the accused who picked an axe and struck the deceased on the head and he fell down and died on the spot.
Evedence brought before the court pointed that after striking Munhuwei to death, Dzingira searched the deceased and took a Nokia cellphone with SIM card 0774 510 925 which had Ecocash money amounting to RTGS $500.
The accused then concealed the body of the deceased in a pit and covered it with some 50 kg empty bags at their employer’s plot.
A post-mortem examination from Dr Juana Rodriguez Gregori from Bulawayo pointed that the deceased died from depressed skull fracture, head trauma and encephalic contusion.
This also indicated that Munhuwei suffered from (encephalic contusion) scattered areas of bleeding on the surface of the brain, most commonly along the undersurface and poles of the frontal and temporal lobes, Dr Gregori said.
These occur when the brain strikes a ridge on the skull or a fold in the dura mater, the brain’s tough outer covering.
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