Zimpapers Logo

Midlands Bureau Chief
A 54-YEAR-OLD man from Gokwe has been sentenced to seven years in prison for killing his 30-year-old stepson in a beer brawl.

Rod Bhunu from Bhunu Village under Chief Chireya in Gokwe appeared before Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Nokuthula Moyo, sitting at the Gweru Circuit Court with assessors Chipo Junia Baye and Wellington Matemba facing one count of culpable homicide.

Bhunu, who had pleaded not guilty, will however serve five years in jail after Justice Moyo suspended two years of his sentence on condition of good behaviour.

The judge said Bhunu, as the head of the family, was partly to blame for his step son’s death.

She said as a father figure to the now deceased Shadreck Kutsvara, Bhunu, was supposed to exercise restraint and sought guidance on how to resolve their misunderstanding.

“Yes you had taken alcohol on the day in question but the court should not be blind to the fact that a precious life was lost. The accused conducted himself in a manner not befitting the head of the family on that day. So the accused is partly to blame for what transpired.

“He was engaged in a fist fight with the deceased instead of seeking peace as an adult. The accused is therefore sentenced to seven years in prison of which two years are suspended on condition of good behaviour,” said Justice Moyo.

Prosecutor, Mirirai Shumba, said on New Year’s Day in 2012, Bhunu and Shadreck were drinking beer at a party at their homestead.

The court heard that the beer had been brewed by Bhunu’s wife, Sabhina Kutsvara, who was the deceased’s biological mother.

“At around 8PM, Bhunu and Shadreck had a misunderstanding resulting in both of them engaging in a scuffle,” said Shumba.

The court heard that Shadreck proceeded to spill all the beer that was being sold and in the process angered Bhunu.

Shumba said Bhunu confronted Shadreck and the duo was involved in a fist fight.

He said Bhunu then pulled out an okapi knife from his pocket and stabbed the deceased twice, once in the right armpit and once on the right shoulder leading to his death.