The ManicaPost
Abel Zhakata Senior Reporter
TWO Chipinge brothers were recently in court after one of them killed another villager on allegations of bringing misfortunes to their family.
The duo was sold out by shoeprints they left at the crime scene.
Tawanda and Norbert Maphosa appeared before Mutare High Court Judge, Justice Isaac Muzenda facing murder charges.
The former was found guilty of murder with constructive intent and was slapped with a 20-year jail term.
Although the shoeprints that were found at the crime scene belonged to Norbert, the court acquitted him as there was no evidence linking him to the actual murder.
The court heard that the two brothers went to Manyowa Simango’s homestead together but Norbert was unaware of Tawanda’s intention to kill her.
He was shocked when his brother struck Simango’s head with unknown objects, thereby killing her instantly.
Senior public prosecutor, Ms Jane-Rose Matsikidze told the court that the murder was committed on September 8 last year.
“The Maphosa brothers and Simango were villagers in Machona Village under Chief Garawa. Norbert’s family believed that Simango had a hand in the death of his son through supernatural powers. Because of that belief, Norbert was an aggrieved person,” said Ms Matsikidze.
On the day in question, the accused persons went to a fellow villager’s homestead to drink beer.
The State called on Ropafadzo Maphosa who testified that she parted ways with Simango at around midday after she had indicated that she was going to the Chichongwe homestead.
At around 7pm the same day, Ropafadzo went back home, only to find her grandmother Simango’s body lying in a pool of blood.
She sought help from neighbours and at the crime scene, one of the neighbours — Cephas Chauke — observed some shoeprints they believed belonged to one of the suspects.
On September 19, Norbert was arrested as his shoeprints matched those that had been found at the crime scene.
However upon interrogation, he implicated his brother.
As investigations into the matter continued, police detectives who were handling the case learnt of the strained relations between the Maphosas and Simangos.
