A Zimbabwean man who killed his wife by savagely beating her to death will spend only 3 years in prison after a High Court judge ruled that his wife had provoked him.

According to online publication New Zimbabwe publication, Boniso Sibanda (40) of Mkhosana suburb was facing charges of murder for beating his wife Auxilia Nkomazana to death last year. She died aged 31.

The prosecution told the court that Sibanda, who already suspected that his wife was cheating on him, got furious when he returned home from work and found her absent. He is said to have tracked her down and found her at a bar where she was in the company of another man.

Sibanda is reported to have brutally assaulted his wife using his open hands and feet. He also repeatedly slammed her head against the wall and the floor. Nkomazana died a few hours later as a result of the injuries sustained during the brutal assault.

Sibanda tried to cover up his crime by lying that Nkomazana had died due to a short illness. However, the police saw through the ruse and arrested him.

Justice Dube-Banda agreed with Sibanda’s claims that he had been provoked and reduced the charge from murder to culpable homicide.

The judge then sentenced Sibanda to 5-years in prison after convicting him of culpable homicide. However, Sibanda will only serve 3 years in prison after the judge suspended two years on condition of good behaviour.

This sentence is similar to the one which was given to another Victoria Falls man who also beat his wife to death. In March, Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nokuthula Moyo sentenced Japhet Mapfumo to 3 effective years in prison for beating to death his wife Annahstacia Tshuma (44) whom he accused of gossiping about his adulterous affairs.