Lunch dispute turns fatal

A 39-YEAR-OLD Chirumanzu man, who four years ago killed his wife for failing to prepare lunch, was yesterday jailed for five years for culpable homicide.

Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Thompson Mabhikwa sitting at the Gweru circuit court initially sentenced Elson Paradza of Garamombe village under headman Manhovo, Chief Chirumanzu to seven years but suspended two years on condition of good behaviour.

Justice Mabhikwa said there were inconsistencies in the identity of the deceased, Sinikiwe Hanyana, in the two post-mortem reports produced in court hence the actual cause of death could not be ascertained.

He also ruled that although Paradza had no intention to kill his wife, he acted negligently.

Prosecutor Mandla Mdlovu had told the court that on October 2, 2015, Hanyana went to her mother-in-law’s homestead and told her that she had a dispute with her husband over lunch.

The mother-in-law ordered her to go back and prepare the meal as required by her husband.

Later on she again visited her mother-in-law indicating that Paradza had assaulted her.

The couple’s two families later met to resolve the issue, but Paradza did not co-operate, leading to the deferment of the matter.

When the couple arrived at their homestead, a misunderstanding arose which later turned violent.

Paradza hit his wife once on the head and she collapsed and died.

A report was made to the police, leading to Paradza’s arrest.