A MAN was killed by his in-laws after he insulted them that their mother had maggots in her private parts and their sister (his wife) was dull and not pleasurable in bed.
This came to light when two siblings from Shurugwi, who teamed up to brutally murder their brother-in-law, were sentenced to a collective 10 years after being convicted of culpable homicide.
Trymore Zhou (20) and his brother Edmore Chikove (23) of Dzikamidzi co-operative compound in Shurugwi appeared before Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Maxwell Takuva sitting on circuit in Gweru.
The two were convicted and sentenced to five years each two of which were suspended from each term on condition of good behaviour. In passing the sentence Justice Takuva considered that the two were young when they committed the offence and had no intention of killing the now deceased.
He, however, said there was a need to respect the sanctity of human life and the duo was negligent to some extent in the manner they acted. He said the courts do not condone murder hence a custodial sentence will deter the offenders and send a message to other potential offenders to desist from violence. Justice Takuva also considered the time that the case took to be concluded.
The State’s case was that, Zhou and Chikove murdered their brother-in-law Dambudzo Dzirove (34) who was married to their sister. The court heard that on 25 November 2004 at around 9pm, the now deceased was coming from a beer drink alone and going to his home using a path that passes close to the brothers’ homestead.
As Dzirove was passing by their home, he started shouting obscenities about their parents, saying their mother had maggots in her private parts and that their sister was not a pleasure in bed. That prompted the two who had retired to bed to come out and confront him.
The two siblings then approached the deceased and invited him to talk. However, the now deceased then ran towards the two intending to attack them. Zhou then picked a stone and flung it at the deceased, hitting him on the head and he then sat on the ground. Chikove then picked a stick and struck him on the head several times. They then left him and went back home.
The now deceased was found the following morning, dead by the road side. The matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of the two. Mr Tafadzwa Mpariwa appeared for the State.
