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Fungai Lupande Court Reporter—

A 30-year-old Epworth man, who stabbed his landlord for gossiping about his marital problems, was on Friday last week sentenced to an effective three years in prison.

Archiford Chikwanda pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, but regional magistrate Mr Temba Kuwanda found him guilty.

He was sentenced to six years before three of them were set aside for five years.

In passing the sentence, Mr Kuwanda said the parties had an altercation over a trivial matter, but Chikwanda used a knife and threatened the life of Robert Muzanenhamo.

Mr Kuwanda said the offence was aggravated by the serious injuries suffered by Muzanenhamo.

In mitigation, Chikwanda said Muzanenhamo was mistakenly stabbed during a fight.

Prosecutor Mrs Valerie Ngoma told the court that on September 27 last year, Muzanenhamo arrived home at around 11am.

While he was busy unlocking his door, Chikwanda approached him and started accusing him of spreading gossip about him.

He accused Muzanenhamo of foul mouthing him at the shopping centre.

Muzanenhamo denied the accusation, but Chikwanda started assaulting him.

Takudzwa Mudarikwa intervened to quell the scuffle after realising that Chikwanda was wielding a knife.

Chikwanda said it was over and his landlord went to his room.

It is alleged that Chikwanda followed him and stabbed him with an Okapi knife once in the stomach.

People started screaming upon seeing Muzanenhamo’s protruding intestines and Chikwanda was apprehended.

Muzanenhamo was rushed to Harare Hospital where he was treated.