SYDNEY MUBAIWA
CHIPINGE- A Chipinge man has been jailed for life last week for the brutal murder and rape of his neighbour when he appeared before High Court Judge, Justice Isaac Muzenda.
According to court records, it is alleged that Fanwell Ndawana committed the offences on August 13, 2024 at Mbezuma homestead in Mukomba Village under Chief Musikavanhu.
The court heard that, a star witness William Sithole was at the homestead with two other children at around 2100hrs when he heard groaning sounds.
He observed that their neighbour Ndawana was walking and peeping through the glass panel of the dining room door.
A few moments later, Ndawana opened the door whilst holding a steel object and advanced towards Sithole who escaped into the spare bedroom and locked the door from inside.
He heard Ndawana’s footsteps as he left the house running.
Sithole went into the dining room which was being used by the victim as a bedroom and saw her lying facing upwards on her blankets having difficulties in breathing while bleeding from the right ear and the mouth.
He found out that the victim’s jean trousers and undergarments were pulled down to knee level.
He screamed for help to alert other neighbours.
The victim later died. A pathologist concluded that the cause of death was as a result of subarachnoid hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain) and head trauma.
Ndawana left his grey dust coat on the sofa and a pair of pink sandals in the room besides the victim’s lifeless body.
The accused was arrested near Save River and led the police with indications as well as the discovery of the weapons used to commit the offences.
Passing his judgment, Justice Muzenda said there was overwhelming evidence that there was a clear intention to the cause of death.
“It is our finding that from the totality of all the evidence placed before us by the state. There was clear intention to the cause of death.
“Immediately after fatally assaulting the now deceased, the accused fled from the scene after he had achieved his target.
“The accused person sexually molested the now deceased juvenile given the conditions of the attire. Her jeans were withdrawn up to the knee level exposing her private parts.
“All these conditions shows that the sexual conduct of the accused was not consensual. As a result, it is our finding that the murder was committed in aggravating circumstances. Her nakedness was seen by police details. The aggravatory factors far outweigh the mitigatory features and the only appropriate sentence is custodial and accordingly, you are sentenced to life imprisonment,” he said.
