The accused is charged with murder as defined in section 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23. He pleaded not guilty to the charge but tendered a limited plea of guilty to the lesser charge of culpable homicide. The state accepted the limited plea. The agreed facts are that the accused and the deceased were cousins. On 25 December 2021 the deceased was caught having sexual intercourse with the accused’s wife and was made to pay damages when the matter was reported to the village head. More
On the 31st August 2018 and at around 20:00 hours the accused, the deceased and one Abongile Ndatshana were drinking opaque beer at Umguza beer garden, Fingo Business Center. Later that night, the 18 year old accused and the deceased who was aged 17 years at the time he met his death, together with other young men were to proceed for an Umguyo circumcision ceremony. The Xhosa male circumcision is a ritual that has been practiced for several centuries by the Xhosa people. It serves as a passage from boyhood to manhood. More
The accused is a female adult. She was 29 at the time of the commission of the offence. She faces a charge of murder as defined in section 47 (1) of the Criminal Code, [Chapter 9:23].
The statement of agreed facts tendered into the record and marked as Exhibit 1 confirms that the accused resided in the Mitiyabo village under chief Mahlebadza in Mberengwa district. The deceased Monias Ncube resided at his own home in Mahobo village under chief Bvukwe also in Mberengwa. He was aged 49 at the time he met his death. More
After the oral evidence of 2 state witnesses and the admission in terms of section 314 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act of 12 other state witnesses’ evidence as summarised in the state outline, the state called a 3rd witness to give oral evidence, one Lovemore Sibanda. More
[1] Sydney Nyakwava (the offender) was arraigned before the court of a provincial magistrate at Gweru on 30 June 2025. He was charged with the crime, which in the papers was described as contravening section 70 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, [Chapter 9:23], (hereinafter the CODE) “Having sexual intercourse with a young person.”
[2] At his trial, the offender readily admitted the charge. He was convicted and sentenced as follows:
“36 months imprisonment of which 15 months imprisonment is suspended for 5 years on condition accused does not within that period commit any offence of a sexual... More
