A 31 year old man of Chief Zumwanda in Lundazi was
yesterday sentenced to 18 months with hard labour for killing his father.
Willy Chima of Zombe village, who appeared before High Court Judge Catherine Phiri,
was initially charged with first degree murder, which was later reduced to murder.
Facts before the court were that Chima returned home after a drinking spree and
started showing his father in-law how to operate a riffle.
Chima fired a shot while he was explaining to his son how the riffle operates.
Upon hearing the shot, Willy ‘s father, White Chima who had also just returned from
a drinking spree, stated questioning his son who had fired the shot.
In the midst of the argument, Willy got agitated and struck his father with a
stick, who bled profusely.
Chima was then rushed to Lundazi General Hospital and died the following day.
In mitigation, Willy who pleaded guilty to the charge, said he had four children
and that he acted under the influence of alcohol when he committed the offence.
And in passing judgement, judge Phiri said she had considered the mitigation and
that the incident occurred after both Chima and his father were drunk.
Judge Phiri also stated that she had considered the fact that Willy would live
with the stigma of killing his own father for the rest of his life.
She sentenced Willy with one year six months with hard labour beginning from the
day of his arrest October 11, 2006.
