A 34-year-old man from Gamba Village in Hwange has been fined $150 after threatening to kill a fellow villager who refused his request to marry his daughter.
The accused, Irvine Shoko, faced charges of issuing death threats and possessing a prohibited weapon during a hearing at the Hwange Magistrates Court.
Shoko was given the option to pay the fine or serve a three-month prison sentence. In addition, the court imposed a three-month suspended sentence, which will be enforced if he commits a similar offence within the next five years.
The court was told that the incident occurred on the night of June 6 when Shoko visited the home of villager Possent Nyathi. Shoko asked to marry Nyathi’s daughter, but Nyathi declined.
This led to an argument in which Shoko allegedly threatened to kill Nyathi, prompting Nyathi to report the matter to the police.
When Shoko was arrested, he was found carrying an okapi knife, a prohibited weapon under Zimbabwean law. The combination of the threats and the illegal weapon led to his conviction.
The National Prosecuting Authority stressed the seriousness of Shoko’s actions, and the court hopes this sentence will deter similar criminal behaviour in the future.
