Man gets 20 years for murder

Lebogang Baingapi | Wednesday November 15, 2017 19:17

 

Judge Bashi Moesi imposed the sentence on Tshiamo Tsheko in a packed court on Tuesday saying the accused showed scant regard for life when he decided to stab Mowamadi with a knife at a Chibuku depot and have to serve an appropriate sentence that fits the offence committed.

“There wasn’t a glimmer of sorrow or regret for taking another human being’s life,” Moesi said.

Tsheko was 19-years-old when he committed the offence. He suspected that Mowamadi was in love with his girlfriend although the deceased and the girlfriend were cousins.

The court heard that during the day Tsheko committed the offence, he was drinking Chibuku with his friends at the same shebeen with the deceased and his friends.

Things took a nasty turn when someone from Mowamadi’s group hit Tsheko with an object on the head.

Because Tsheko already had a grudge against Mowamadi, he suspected that Mowamadi was the person who threw an object that hit him on the head.

Without fully ascertaining who had hit him with the object, the judge said Tsheko out of fury ran towards Mowamadi and stabbed him with the knife.

“Tsheko told his friends that he had stabbed the deceased with a knife, but said he was certain that the deceased will not die from the stab wounds.

He then told his friends that they must go home to sleep without showing any remorse for his actions,” said Moesi.

The judge said he took into consideration that the accused was very young when he committed the offence, adding that he was of rustic background and had limited education.

“The accused is also a first offender, a factor which works in his favour although he committed a very serious offence that in some instances attracts the death penalty,” said the judge.

The accused, who showed no emotions when the sentence was read, was overheard saying that he was having a headache after the judge passed his sentence.

Moesi advised Tsheko to appeal both his conviction and sentence at the Court of Appeal in six weeks if he was not satisfied with them.