That on the 11th of April 2022, at around 10.00 a.m. and at Plot 20, Wildbeast farm in Featherstone, the accused struck David Dube (the deceased) with a stone on the head thereby causing injuries from which the deceased died on the 20th of April 2022, is common cause. The post mortem that was produced by the State with the consent of the defence states that the cause of death was brain damage, severe head trauma and intra parenchymal hemorrhage. The accused, who is facing a charge of murder as defined in section 47(1) of the Criminal Law Codification and... More
The record of uncompleted criminal proceedings in State v Fannuel Mpofu CRB 19/07 was placed before me with the following comments from the presiding trial magistrate:-
“ THE STATE v FANNUEL MPOFU: ATTEMPTED MURDER: GOKWE REGIONAL CRB 19/2007 More
: On 9 December 2010 the deceased who was aged 53 years was unwell and in bed. She was accused of practising witchcraft and severely assaulted leading to her death about two or three hours after the fatal assault. The severity of the assault is well spelt out in the post mortem report tendered in these proceedings as exh 4. The doctor who carried out that examination noted that the deceased had a deep cut on the head (temporal ocipita) more to the right side of the back of the head. He also noted some bleeding from the deceased and... More
The two accused in this case Farai Katsande and Owen Katsande are brothers. They lost some property at their residence and allegedly went on a rampage assaulting people they suspected of having stolen it. When they thought they were sure it was their nephew Robert Nyatsine (the deceased) who had deprived them of their valuables, they cornered him, severely assaulted him and inflicted mortal injuries which took his life. Formally the charge against them was that in contravention of s 47(1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] (the Code), the accused persons each or both of... More
The accused was charged with the crime of contravening s 47(1)(B) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Cap 9:23] in that on 25 April 2007 at 19h00 she unlawfully picked up a knife and stabbed Stewart Pilate Mhlanga twice with the knife once on the left side of the chest and once on the neck resulting in the death of the deceased. She pleaded not guilty. The summary of the State’s case indicated that the State would rely on evidence of at least ten witnesses. However at the commencement of proceedings counsel of the State the defence agreed... More
