High Court acquits father who axed daughter to death

A SHAMVA man murdered his minor daughter in cold blood last year after he went into a ‘trance' at his homestead in Madhishi Village, Shamva, the High Court heard recently.

Zexteen Dzemwa was acquitted by High Court judge Justice Munamato Mutevedzi who ruled that he was not in his right mind when he fatally struck his daughter with an axe.

Witnesses who testified also told the court they were still in shock because Dzemwa loved his children dearly to hurt them.

They also told the court that on a fateful day he acted like someone who was possessed as it was difficult to apprehend and tie him to a tree.

Dzemwa only gained consciousness after he was told he had killed his daughter and the police had arrived to arrest him.

In court, Dzemwa defended himself saying he did not remember the details of the fateful day and believed there was an external force that caused him to commit the crime.

According to court papers, Dzemwa was left attending to his two daughters whilst his wife went to pray at a mountain.

He further claims that he proceeded to prepare breakfast for them and saw what looked like a snake on the fireplace.

Court heard he started singing hymns denouncing evil spirits and sent his other daughter to collect a bible from her mum who was praying in the mountain close to their homestead.

As his daughter was making her way back, Dzemwa's wife saw her husband suddenly striking their other girl who had remained home with an axe and stuff before she screamed for help.

Neighbors struggled to stop him as he threatened to kill them as well.