Death penalty not an option

EDITOR — I want to say though it is sad that at some point our courts have to place certain individuals on death row, the course of taking one’s life should at all costs be avoided.

Years back, there was debate on whether or not to abolish the death sentence and unfortunately our Constitution gave way for this way of punishment.

Regardless of who is accused, the notion of “an eye for an eye” is not in any way useful as it does not deter crime.

The death of someone on death row is never humane, it doesn’t matter what crime they committed. The nature of these deaths only continues to perpetuate the cycle of violence and does not alleviate the pain already suffered by the victims’ family.

While I understand the pain of the victims’ family of losing a loved one, we must understand that the brute, the bigot and the batterer are all children of God.

I want to applaud the Supreme Court for giving Gweru man Samson Mutero a chance, as reported by your paper, and taking the death row sentence off the table.

The death sentence violates the right to life which happens to be the most basic of all human rights.

It also violates the right not to be subjected to torture and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment.

Furthermore, the death sentence undermines human dignity which is inherent to every human being and enshrined in the Zimbabwean Constitution.