A 21-year-old man, Passwell Chiwaura, has been convicted of killing his friend, Takudzwa Kavhuru, following a dispute over a prostitute at Matomati Bar.
The incident occurred when Kavhuru reportedly grabbed the buttocks of a woman that Chiwaura had hired for the night.
Justice Munamato Mutevedzi of the High Court found Chiwaura guilty of murder after a year-long pretrial detention. The sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to reports from H-Metro, the altercation took place last year when Chiwaura, Kavhuru, and two prostitutes, Joyce Gwese and Patience Gezi, were drinking at the bar.
The conflict began when Kavhuru touched Gezi, whom Chiwaura had hired. Gwese intervened, scolding Kavhuru, which led to a confrontation between the two men. Chiwaura then overheard the exchange, confronted Kavhuru, and a physical altercation ensued.
During the fight, Chiwaura grabbed a broken beer bottle and fatally stabbed Kavhuru in the stomach. Kavhuru was rushed to a hospital with his intestines exposed but died shortly after arrival.
During the trial, Chiwaura denied intending to kill his friend, claiming he acted in self-defense, mistaking Kavhuru for an attacker in a supposed gang threat.
However, Justice Mutevedzi rejected this defense, stating, “It was not seriously argued, and we dismiss it like we dismissed the accused’s argument of self-defense.”
The court determined that the State had proven Chiwaura’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Having been in custody for 14 months, Chiwaura will be sentenced at a later date, with the court considering the severity of the crime.
