The ManicaPost
Crime Reporter
A CHIPINGE woman and her boyfriend who connived to kill the former’s daughter in order to pave way for their marriage were together jailed for 30 years.
Violet Chabvukwa (36) of Chikwanda Village and Langton Sithole (30) of Charurwa Village were recently convicted by Mutare High Court Judge, Justice Isaac Muzenda, for murdering the former’s four-year-old daughter.
Justice Muzenda sentenced the duo to 30 years imprisonment each.
Mr Malvern Musarurwa prosecuted.
Mr Musarurwa said Sithole and Chabvukwa were in love and wanted to get married.
However, Sithole’s family refused to bless the union, saying they could not allow Chabvukwa to bring her daughter into their family.
“Sithole and Chabvukwa were in love and were about to settle down as a couple when the former’s family refused to accept the latter as their daughter-in-law because of the child she had from her previous marriage.
“On May 30, the lovers connived and took the girl to a nearby dam where they murdered her.
“While at the dam wall, Sithole said he pinned the girl to the ground before suffocating her to death with a plastic container. After accomplishing their mission, Sithole removed the girl’s top garment and placed the body on the banks of the dam. They went away unnoticed,” said Mr Musarurwa.
Detectives led by Detective Assistant Inspector Emmerson Ziki, Detective Sergeant Kasora and Detective Sergeant Antonio received a tip-off and went to the crime scene.
They discovered that half of Blessing’s body was submerged in water, an indication that there was foul play.
Investigations led to Sithole and Chabvukwa’s arrest.
Sithole admitted killing the girl.
“I admit to the charges levelled against me. I was in love with Violet who is the mother of the now deceased. I told Violet (Chabukwa) that we could not marry each other as my parents could not allow me to marry a woman with a child from a previous marriage.
“On May 30, I connived with Violet to kill Blessing. I went to the dam first and sat on the dam wall. Violet then came with the deceased and sat close to me while holding the baby by her stomach.
“I took an empty peanut butter container and covered both the nose and the mouth of the now deceased until she suffocated and passed away. I then took the towel which was in my possession and gave it to Violet so that she could wipe the blood that was coming from Blessing’s nose.
“We removed Blessing’s top garment and placed her body at the edge of the dam while her legs were submerged in the water,” said Sithole.
