Gloucester man sentenced to life in prison for murder
Tanaka Zivanai killed Zanele Sibanda in Gloucester last August.
A Gloucester man's been sentenced to life behind bars for the murder of a woman in the city last year.
Tanaka Zivanai attacked his partner Zanele Sibanda in the early hours of the morning on the 27th of August.
Police were called to the junction of Paul Street and Tarrington Road in Tredworth to a report that a man had attacked a woman.
Zanele had been stabbed by Zivanai multiple times.
The 32 year old pleaded guilty to her murder and the possession of a bladed article in public via a video link at Bristol Crown Court on the 27th of November.
Police arrived at the scene at around 1:45am and found both Zivanai and Sibanda covered in blood.
A witness had told the court how they saw the defendant straddled on top of the victim repeatedly stabbing her then held her up and continued stabbing her with another saying they had seen Zivanai covering Zaneles mouth.
Despite efforts from emergency services the 28-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.
Zivanai was found to have self inflicted injuries and was taken to the hospital.
The court heard how Zivanai repeatedly asked for his girlfriend while in the back of the ambulance and again when in hospital and that he did not seem aware of what he had done.
At the sentencing the judge addressed Zivanai saying “You intended to kill Zanele, your demeanour afterwards does not deflect from that conclusion”.
Zivanai received a life sentence for the murder of Zanele with a minimum term of 20 years and 152 days.
He was also sentenced to 2 years imprisonment for possession of a bladed article in a public place.