Zvishavane Cop Killer gets life sentence.

Zvishavane Cop killer escapes death sentence, given life in prison

By Delicious Mathuthu and Dumisani Ndlovu

A-24-year old man, who in 2020 stabbed and strangled a-32-year old police officer, escaped the death penalty when he was sentenced by High Court Judge, Justice Martin Makonese on Friday (27 January) after being found guilty of murder in aggravated circumstances.
He was sentenced to life in prison instead.

The accused, Piso Moyo, of Bindu Village under Chief Nyamhondo in Mberengwa, stood accused of stabbing Constable Benjamin Murambiwa from Gweru, stationed at Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Mtapa, once on the neck before strangling him to death with a rope in his car.
After the gruesome act, Moyo dumped Murambiwa’s body in a nearby grassy area before getting away with his car, two cellphones and US$130.
The two are believed to have developed a friendship on the 12th of December 2020 after the deceased, Murambiwa who was pirating between Gweru and Zvishavane, picked Moyo at Madeura pick up point on his way to Gweru.
The friendship would see the two embarking on a road trip from Gweru to Masvingo and back again to Zvishavane the following day.
Passing judgement on the matter on Friday (27 January 2023), Justice Makonese said he will not condemn the accused to a death sentence considering that he was a first offender, young at the time of committing the crime and a family person.
“Considering that you are a first offender and you were 22 years at the time when the crime was committed, and that you have a family with three children; you also showed some sign of sympathy to what happened to the victim but, however, showed no remorse at all in what you did and decided to distance yourself from the killing, fighting to the bitter end, shows that you are evil,” Justice Makonese said.

“I will not propose the ultimate sentence of death but it is the view of this court that you should be removed from society.
“The court sentences you as follows, a life sentence,” Justice Makonese said, sealing Moyo’s fate.

Through his defense counsel, led by Mr Devios Mujaya of Mawadza and Mujaya Legal Practitioners, Moyo had pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.
Justice Makonese said despite attempts to distance the accused from crime by the defense counsel, and claims that the accused did not know that his victim was a police officer as he was off duty, the court has proven that Moyo’s actions were aggravated.
He said the two had developed friendship and Moyo knew.
“How you murdered him shows that you have no value for life and you also acted out of a foolish belief that the offence will just disappear as you proceeded to use the deceased’s car for pirating in Mwenezi where you were then arrested.

“The murder was committed in the course of a robbery and the aggravating feature is that the murdered victim was a police officer,” Justice Makonese said.

The state, represented by Mr Samuel Pedzisayi, narrated to the court how the two had developed a bond before the deceased’s ultimate tragedy.

“On the 12th of December and at Madeura pick up point the deceased picked the accused and proceeded to Gweru as he used to pirate between Gweru and Zvishavane on his off days.

“A friendship developed between the two. When they reached Gweru, the deceased proceeded to his girlfriend…in Mkoba 13 and she cooked food for the two.
“The deceased informed her that the accused was his nephew.
“On the same day, the deceased proceeded to Masvingo in the company of the accused where he went to another girlfriend… and slept there.
“On the 13th of December 2020 the two went back to Zvishavane and the deceased went to yet another girlfriend…, ” the court heard.
While in Zvishavane, Pedzisayi told the court that “The accused was left in the vehicle and the deceased went away with the girlfriend into the house.
“He later returned and the accused and the deceased slept in the vehicle. Whilst in the vehicle the two woke up and the accused took a knife and stabbed the deceased once on the neck.
“The accused then took a rope which was in the deceased’s vehicle, strangled the deceased and he died.
“He then pulled him out of the vehicle into the thick grass and left him there.
“The accused then took away two cellphones, a G-tel and an Itel, a black wallet containing US$130 and drove the accused’s vehicle to Mwenezi.”
Mr Pedzisayi said the body of the deceased was discovered by one Prince Muhle who then alerted the police.
The accused was later arrested in Mwenezi after investigations were made.
Moyo was using the deceased’s car as a pirate taxi and was caught after using one of the deceased’s cellphones.

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