Simbarashe Sithole
A 22-YEAR-OLD artisanal miner was slapped with a 12- month jail term on Friday by a Bindura magistrate for stabbing a soldier with a knife following a dispute over a girlfriend at a local bar.
Talktek Sibanda was convicted by magistrate Maria Musika, who suspended six months of the sentence on condition of good behaviour.
Prosecutor Edward Katsvairo said on April 16, Sibanda was drinking beer with his colleagues Alexio Gumbato (36) and Job Chitsvimbo at a bar in Chiwaridzo where they had a misunderstanding with three soldiers over girlfriends.
The soldiers, Shaw Tizora (33), Tawanda Garega (35) and the complainant Pumulani Khuumani (30) were part of the team that was taking part in rehearsals for Independence Day celebrations.
Khuumani was headed for the bar in the company of female friends, Lesley Chitabura (25) and Nyasha Ngozo (19), both from Chipadze suburb, when a scuffle broke out.
Khuumani assaulted Chitabura who screamed for help attracting the attention of Sibanda who pulled a Colombian knife and stabbed the three soldiers killing two on the spot and injuring Khuumani.
