Wife killer jailed 5 years

A 28-YEAR-OLD man of Kabwe has been sentenced to five years imprisonment with hard labour for killing his wife.

Bravin Mkushi was found guilty of killing his wife, Ivytte Mwaba 24, in January this year but the charge was reduced to manslaughter.

Particulars of the offense are that in January this year Mkushi caused the death of his wife, a few days after a marital dispute.

The court heard that the convict hit his wife with a heavy object on her head because she had not prepared food for him when he got home.

When he got home, he found her drunk and asleep without preparing food for him.

After some days, his wife fell ill and was admitted to Mulungushi clinic and was later referred to Kabwe Central Hospital where she died on 17 January, 2019.

A postmortem was carried and proved that the deceased died as a result of the head injury caused by her husband.

In mitigation, the accused said he was the breadwinner of the family and that he was a first offender who was sorry for causing the death of his wife.

But in passing judgement, Kabwe High Court Judge Kelvin Limbani said he took into account what the accused had said in mitigation and sentenced him to five years imprisonment with hard labour to help him reflect on the crime committed.

Judge Limbikani said the sentence would also serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders because every life was precious and has to be protected.

He said it was regrettable that the convict caused the death of his wife who was at a time with a five months baby instead of protecting her life.

Judge Limbikani said there were many ways of resolving marital disputes than resorting to fighting which in this case had led loss of a life.