A 31-year-old resident of the Zambezi Region was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment for the murder of his employer in the New Cowboy compound in 2019.

Maswabi Martin Sezuni, who was employed as a barber by a 29-year-old member of the NDF, Protetius Shidute, stabbed his employer with a knife in the neck following an argument over an outstanding payment.

In mitigation for his sentence, Sezuni told the court that he was the father of a five-year-old child and takes care of his father.

He also expressed sadness over the death of his former employer and pleaded for mercy and forgiveness from the court.

The deceased's mother and brother, who testified in mitigation, said the accused or his family did not approach them to ask for forgiveness in the past four years.

The family said that though they are Christians, they wanted to forgive, but in the absence of an apology, they would leave everything in the hands of the court.

In his sentencing, Regional Court Magistrate Barry Mufana explained that what was aggravating was that the accused armed himself with a knife and stabbed the deceased in the neck.

Mafana added that, as if that were not enough, after the deceased had run out to the street, the accused pursued him until he fell on the ground, chanting that the people must leave the dog to die there.

The magistrate further observed that the apology from the accused only came after he had been found guilty.

Mufana emphasised that it would be worse if the court ignored the tears of the deceased's mother when she testified.

The court explained to Sezuni his right to appeal a judgement, sentence, or both within the legally prescribed time frame.