Manali Mutabelezi shot and killed the mother of his ex-girlfriend with a shotgun on 14 July 2012 at Itsweke village, while she was trying to protect her daughter in the Malengalenga area south of Katima Mulilo in the Caprivi region.

The unfortunate incident was brought about by arguments between Mutabelezi and Lidia Libaka Ndozi, as he was demanding back all the money and other support he had given to her after she tried to break off the relationship.

Ndozi told him that she was no longer interested in the relationship and that did not go down well with the accused. He started demanding back the money he had given her. At this point he was already armed with a shotgun and punched his former girlfriend in the face with the fist. When he pointed the fire-arm at his former girlfriend, her mother, Gladys Ndozi (46), realised that things were getting out of hand and went to stand in front of her daughter. In the midst of the scuffle Manali fired one shot and the bullet struck Gladys Ndozi under the armpit, killing her instantly.

After the incident Manali ran away and went to hide at a certain house where he was arrested by NAMPOL. He appeared before the Katima Mulilo lower court Magistrate Nomusa Sibanda and the State Prosecutor Jatiel Mudamburi on the charge of murder, pointing a fire-arm and assault. The matter was postponed to 30 August 2012 for further investigation.

Meanwhile, a 26-year old Zambian national, Given Manyando Mushiba, who was convicted and found guilty of murder in the Katima Mulilo Regional Court on 6 July 2012, was sentenced last week to fifteen years in prison by magistrate William Kasitomo on 17 July 2012.

During sentencing magistrate Kasitomo told the court that the charges which Mushiba faced were very serious, involved the loss of life and were committed after careful planning. He added that the accused Manyando was employed by the deceased’s sister and was treated as part of the family.

“This crime was motivated by greed, the deceased was an elderly woman who was receiving her monthly pension from the government,” he said.

He alleged that the accused brutally attacked the deceased, who had just returned from collecting her monthly pension, believing that she had a lot of money. “The senseless killing of an old lady in the afternoon of her years evokes revulsion,” magistrate Kasitomo added.

The accused was sent to jail for fifteen years for killing Habasepi Magret Manyando by hitting her with an unknown object on the head after he broke and entered into her house at Kazinzila village in Ngoma area, some 68 kilometers east of Caprivi.

The case started in the Regional Court on 6 June 2010 and on 5 July he was convicted of murder with direct intent. Mushiba conducted his own defence throughout his trials and has been in police custody since his initial arrest.