Disgruntled boy kills soldier

soldier

A Harare teenager reportedly killed a soldier by deliberately running him over with his truck following an altercation during which the teen told the man’s lover that she earned "peanuts".

The 17-year-old boy yesterday appeared in court charged with murder as defined in Section 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

He was not asked to plead when he appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Gloria Takundwa, who released him into the custody of his parents until Tuesday next week.

The State did not oppose bail because the accused is a juvenile. Prosecutor Mrs Phillis Zvenyika alleges that sometime last month, the boy had an argument with the late Lawrence Chitimbire’s girlfriend, Maliny Matimba.

It is believed the teenager accused Matimba of spreading malicious rumours about his friend’s mother.

The State says the boy was bitter with Matimba for allegedly going around the neighbourhood telling people that a mother of the boy’s friend had abandoned her family and relocated to Botswana to work as a prostitute.

To protect his friend’s honour, it is alleged, the teen confronted the woman — who is also a soldier — and called her a "dog" who "earned peanuts".

The State alleges that Matimba reported the insults to her boyfriend, Chitimbire, who was attached to the Presidential Guard. It is alleged that Chitimbire started tracking the teenager with the intention of disciplining him.

On February 14, the teenager heard that Chitimbire was at his girlfriend’s house and decided to go there with a friend to apologise for insulting the woman, the State says.

They talked briefly in the house and decided to settle the matter outside. The prosecution argues that while they were outside, an argument erupted between the teen and the soldier.

The boy jumped into his truck and drove it towards Chitimbire whom he knocked down and ran over inflicting serious injuries, it is alleged. Chitimbire was taken to Parirenyatwa Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit where he died the same day.

The State says eyewitnesses will testify to this chain of events and will also produce a post-mortem report indicating that the cause of death was consistent with injuries sustained in a road traffic accident.