By A Correspondent- A Murewa man who strangled his daughter to death before throwing the body into a pond has been sentenced to death.

Charles Kavhumbura was convicted by High Court judge Justice Tawanda Chitapi after a full trial. He had denied the charge.

Kavhumbura was charged with unlawfully, and with an intent to kill, strangling the deceased, Lydia Kavhumbura.

Prosecutors alleged that on 14 October 2017, Lydia and her brother visited their father at his grinding mill at Susman Farm, Juru, Murewa.

The duo had been sent by their mother (Charles’ ex-wife) Pedzisai Kachepa, to get money for their upkeep.

Charles strangled Lydia until she became unconscious and later dumped the about 750 metres away from the grinding mill.

The deceased’s body was later discovered by a student, Joseph Mutisi, who wanted to draw water from the pond.

In his ruling, Justice Chitapi said Charles had murdered his own child for no just cause and did not show any remorse. The judge ruled:

He knew right from wrong. In fact, his motive to kill the deceased was to save himself from the obligation to outlay more money as maintenance.

He decimated part of his family by selfishly murdering the deceased for no just cause.

He remained unrepentant and thus remorseless by not even owning up to his misdeed, electing to deny his culpability, in the light of overwhelming evidence.

… To devour one’s own child, in order to avert a lawful obligation to pay maintenance as ordered by the courts, cannot be countenanced in an informed society governed through the rule of law.

The accused is sentenced to death.

He shall be returned to custody and the sentence of death shall be executed according to law.