A MAN who waylaid two lovers in Bulawayo while they were out for an evening stroll before striking them with a brick resulting in one the victims succumbing to the injuries has been sentenced to life imprisonment.

Munyaradzi Nyoni (41) whose residential address was not given, struck Mr Tinashe Nemakonde (23) and his girlfriend Ms Sibonisiwe Mpofu and they both lost consciousness.

He robbed them of a bag containing three cellphones, $3, two exercise books and a national identity card.

Ms Mpofu later regained consciousness and fled from the scene leaving her boyfriend who was later taken to Mpilo Central Hospital where he succumbed to the injuries.

Nyoni was convicted of murder with actual intent by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese.

In passing sentence, Justice Makonese condemned his conduct, saying he was driven by greed to commit the crime.

“The accused person committed a very serious offence. This matter was committed in aggravating circumstances and it was premeditated and carried out in pursuant of a robbery,” he said.

“It is sad that lives continue to be lost as a result of robbers who attack their victims to steal gadgets such as cellphones, which they go on to sell for as little as $30. The accused person attacked his victims viciously and with extreme brutality.”

Justice Makonese said the courts have a duty to protect the sanctity of human life through passing deterrent sentences.

“These courts would fail in their duty to protect the sanctity of human life if lenient sentences were imposed where life is callously and needlessly lost.

The sentence should reflect the seriousness of the offence,” he said.

The judge said Nyoni escaped the death sentence because he admitted attacking the deceased.

Prosecuting, Mr Trust Muduma said on September 25 in 2018 at around 9PM, Ms Mpofu and her lover were taking a stroll on a footpath near Magwegwe Water Reservoir when the accused person spotted them from a distance.

He waylaid the two lovers and when they got closer, he hit the deceased with a brick on the head and he fell down and lost consciousness.

“The accused person then threatened the deceased’s girlfriend and ordered her to sit down. He ordered her to search her boyfriend’s pockets but she found nothing,” he said.

The court heard that Nyoni hit Mpofu with a brick twice on the head and she fell down unconscious.

Nyoni took Mpofu’s handbag containing a Huawei cellphone, Mobicel Tablet, $3 and two exercise books.
He also took the deceased’s Nokia cellphone and his satchel.

“Mpofu regained consciousness and managed to run away leaving the accused person still attacking the deceased with a brick,” said Mr Muduma.

Mpofu reported the matter to the police and an ambulance came and took Nemakonde to Mpilo Central Hospital where he later died-Chronicle