HARARE, Feb 11 (NewsDay Live) - An artisanal miner based in Norton has been sentenced to 21 years in jail for fatally stabbing a colleague during a row over a 50-cent snooker token.
Tavonga Matindike, who claimed to be Talex Matindike, was convicted of murder by Chinhoyi High Court judge Justice Philda Muzofa on Tuesday.
Matindike was initially charged together with Kudzai Bofuwero who has since been acquitted, and Ronnet Mthungameli Bhebhe who is reportedly on the run.
The court heard that on August 20, 2018, Matindike and his friends, including the now-deceased Tinashe Chinorwadza, were playing a game of snooker at Appleyard Nightclub in Norton when they clashed over a 50-cent token won by the deceased.
The verbal dispute degenerated into a physical confrontation, resulting in Chinorwadza being struck with a machete and stabbed all over the body, leading to his death.
However, Matindike and Bofuwero denied the offence with the former citing mistaken identity, saying the offence could have been committed by his twin brother.
But a State witness, Jimmy Hwaira, insisted that the convict was involved in the murder.
A witness from the Civil Registry Department also denied claims that Tavonga had a twin brother or that his real name was Talex.
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After analysing submissions by both parties, Justice Muzofa ruled that there was no conclusive evidence that Bofuwero had a knife on the fateful night.
The judge rapped the State over its shoddy investigation of the matter, including failure to record warned-and-cautioned statements from the suspects.
He, however, ruled that Matindike could not escape the crime after a blood-stained knife, shirt and gumboots were recovered from his house.
"Life lost cannot be restored. No sentence can make up for life. The accused was in custody for a brief period. The justice delivery system does not purport to restore life but it punishes offenders which also acts as a deterrence.
"In such cases a custodial sentence is the only appropriate sentence. The accused is sentenced to 21 years imprisonment," the judge ruled.
