A 30-year-old Victoria Falls man who told the court that a vision had led him to believe his sister wanted him to burn clothes belonging to her and her daughter has been sentenced to six months in prison, wholly suspended for five years.
Francis Bhebhe has been on trial before Victoria Falls magistrate Fungai Dzimiri facing charges of physical abuse and malicious damage to property under the Domestic Violence Act.
The case involved his 57-year-old sister at her homestead in Village 2, Chisuma, Victoria Falls.
According to the State, the incident happened on 10 August 2026 after Bhebhe had an argument with his daughter, Tyra.
His sister intervened, prompting Bhebhe to become angry and question why she had intervened.
The court heard that his sister ran into her house, but Bhebhe followed her and grabbed her.
He then head-butted her five times on the head, according to the State.
She managed to escape from the hut, but Bhebhe followed her outside, where he picked up an iron sheet and threw it towards her. She blocked it.
The State further alleged that Bhebhe grabbed his sister and instructed his daughter to come with an axe. His sister managed to push him, causing him to fall to the ground.
The second charge arose from what happened afterwards.
According to the court papers, Bhebhe went into his sister’s hut and took clothes belonging to her and her daughter. He put the clothes on the ground outside, set them alight and the fire spread.
The clothes were valued at US$32, equivalent to ZWG864, according to the court record. Nothing was recovered.
Bhebhe’s explanation centred on what he said he had seen in a vision.
He told the court, in his defence, that he believed his sister had told him to burn the clothes because of the vision he had experienced.
The case also resulted in a mental health assessment, with medical certificates from two doctors forming part of the court papers.
The doctors examined Bhebhe at Victoria Falls Hospital. The certificates did not record facts indicating mental disorder or defect at the examinations, with the relevant sections recording no such signs.
The medical assessments were conducted after questions arose about Bhebhe’s behaviour and his account of visions.
The court nevertheless proceeded with the criminal matter.
Bhebhe was convicted and sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.
The sentence was wholly suspended for five years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence during that period.
This means he will not serve the six months immediately, but the suspended sentence can be activated if he commits a similar offence within the five-year period.
Bhebhe was prosecuted by Cynthia Mayibongwe Makhaya.