By Maria Taruvinga
HIGH Court Judge Judge David Foroma has sentenced a Bindura man, Brian Chikanya, to 20 years in prison for murdering his girlfriend in cold blood on charges of infidelity.
Chikanya killed his girlfriend Sarah Munhu on the night of August 10, 2017 in an event that shocked the Ushongani community.
Munhu’s body was found the next morning lying by the side of the road with multiple fractures, confirming a brutal attack to which she succumbed.
She was also found in Chikanya’s underwear, suggesting he had been intimate with her prior to the attack.
Passing the verdict, Foroma said Chikanya’s actions were unjustifiable under any circumstances.
“To make matters worse, the defendant tried to cover up the crime by taking the body to the side of the road, where it was found by a passer-by the next morning.
“Every human being has a right to the God-given gift of life, which the Constitution of this country recognizes as a fundamental right. Courts have a duty to protect the rights of every person and will always jealously guard what is said.
“A message should be sent to the perpetrator and like-minded people that in this day and age of civilized human behavior, violence will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
“Crimes of passion are far too common and are evidence of domestic violence that courts will always disapprove,” he said.
During the trial, it was revealed that Chikanya was having an affair with Munhu, but her children were unaware and considered him their uncle.
On that fateful day, Chikanya even went with Munhu’s son to do some menial work before going through their house that evening.
Munhu later went to his house and footprints showed that she never left the hut alive.
While they were in bed, an altercation ensued, resulting in Chikanya fatally attacking her.
After killing her, he cleaned the house and took the dirty blankets to his kitchen to hide the crime.
During the night he carried Munhu’s body and left it on the side of the road.
The next morning he pretended not to be privy to what was happening.
He went to Munhu’s homestead and brought their children to the scene without revealing what happened.
The children only found out at the crime scene that their mother had died.
A vigilant police officer, Constable Mangidza from Munhenga Police Station, who was present at the scene, managed to spot signs that he was implicated in Munhu’s murder.
She then asked him to accompany the children to the police station to give their statements, saying it was convenient because he was the one who took them to the crime scene.
Munhenga alerted her colleagues, who then arrested Chikanya when he arrived at the police station with Munhu’s children.
It was found that he killed Munhu with a chisel, a hammer and a wooden stool.
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