BULAWAYO High Court judge, Justice Maxwell Takuva has described an Inyathi man who struck his wife and sister with a hammer before finishing them off using a metal spear following a rumour of infidelity as “cruel and merciless”.

Amos Nkala (45) of Balanda Village 7, Siganda in Inyathi lured his wife, Simangele Tshuma who was 41 and his sister, Nongazi Nkala aged 39 last year into a kitchen under the pretext that he wanted to discuss allegations that a neighbour was matchmaking boyfriends for his wife during his absence.

However, in a fit of unexplained rage, he armed himself with a hammer and brutally struck his wife and his sister unconscious in full view of his 18-year-old stepdaughter before finishing them off with a spear by stabbing them several times.

He was convicted of murder with actual intent and sentenced to death for each count by Justice Takuva while sitting on circuit in Hwange last week. Justice Takuva described Nkala as a merciless man who had brutally murdered the two defenceless women based on a rumour.

“You committed two heinous crimes in a horrific manner, your level of cruelty is shocking as you acted with untold brutality. You used excessive force on two defenceless women and when you finished them off you did not show mercy. They must have suffered excruciating pain and died very painful deaths, a sign that you have no regard for human life.

“You should not be allowed among the civilised society. The courts have a duty to protect the sanctity of life. This kind of conduct cannot be tolerated, two young lives were killed in cold blood, they did not expect you to behave in the manner you did even if there was some provocation as you allege. You are hereby found guilty of murder with actual intent and sentenced to death for each count,” said Justice Takuva.State media