By Tkudziridzwa Nyama
A 37-year-old man from Chipinge has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for the attempted murder of his sister in a brutal attack that also resulted in the death of her 18-month-old infant. The conviction was handed down by the Chipinge Magistrates Court.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ), Kufakwevantu Chirigo was intoxicated during a domestic dispute with his sister. During the altercation, he verbally assaulted her and demanded that she return to her marital home with her children.
Chirigo assaulted her multiple times with a spanner, mainly targeting her hands. In a bid to escape, she locked herself in one of the huts. However, Chirigo broke the window and attempted to enter.
When she finally unlocked the door and fled to her brother’s house approximately 50 meters away, Chirigo caught up with her and struck her once on the neck. Tragically, he also attacked her 18-month-old infant, who was strapped to her back, with a machete, resulting in the child’s death. He continued to inflict injuries on her indiscriminately, but she managed to block several of the machete blows, sustaining cuts to her wrists.
Chirigo has yet to be tried for the murder of the infant in the High Court.