All these three records were referred to me on 29th March, 2021 by the Acting Resident Magistrate, Gutu under cover of a Minute stated as follows;
“May the following records be placed before a Judge. The Magistrate who dealt with the matters has since left service before responding to the queries. We are therefore referring the records for further directions.” More
The sole issue which fails for determination in all these twelve (12) cases is the correct procedure to be followed where a trial magistrate resigns and leaves uncompleted criminal proceedings or matters.
All these twelve records were referred to this court by the Gutu Resident Magistrate under cover of a minute dated 28 April 2021 which I received on 5 May 2021. The said minute reads as follows;
"Please place these records of proceedings before a High Court Judge with the following request.
The magistrate who dealt with the matters has since left service without having finalised the cases. We... More
The above two applications were consolidated by consent of counsel on application by the prosecutor Mr Murevanhema. Mr Murevanhema submitted that the two applicants were co-accused in the matter in regard to which they have applied for bail pending trial. The prosecutor had summoned the Investigating Officer to give evidence on both applications in regard to the bail applications. It was thereof convenient for the investigating officer to give evidence in regard to both applications instead of giving evidence in each application separately. The consolidation was for purposes of hearing and judgment. More
The 29 accused persons are in custody on allegations of murdering a law enforcement officer in the course of duty as defined in s 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Cap 9:23] alternatively public violence as defined in s 36 of the Act. They are alleged to have killed a police officer on duty in the course of politically motivated violence. Their trial is currently under way but they have all been remanded in custody by operation of law. More
This is an application for leave to appeal against my judgment of 19 June 2012 denying the 29 accused persons bail on account that they had failed to discharge the onus of proving on a balance of probabilities that they are entitled to bail in terms of s 117 (6) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act [Cap. 9:23]. That section requires that an accused person alleged to have killed a law enforcement officer in the course of duty be detained in custody until he or she has been dealt with in accordance with the law unless the accused having... More
The above two applications were dealt with together at the request of the parties as the issues involved arise from the same agreement and the parties are the same save for the fact that the applicant in the first matter is the first respondent in the second matter and the applicant in the second matter is the first respondent in the first matter. More
The two matters listed above are related and the interested parties agreed that they be consolidated and argued at the same time to avoid repetition.
Case No 1 filed under HC 2981/18 is a court application where the applicant seeks the following relief;
1.1 An order cancelling the agreement of sale between the 1st respondent and 2nd respondent in respect of an immovable property known as Stand 10075 Bulawayo Township of Bulawayo Township lands also known as No. 46 Cheltenham Road, Montrose Bulawayo, and further reversing the transfer of ownership of the aforementioned immovable property from the 2nd respondent to... More
: When these matters first came before me on 18 July 2013, Mr Mpofufor the respondents sought a postponement to enable the respondents to attend to a host of house-keeping issues which were then outstanding. In particular, the respondents desired to submit bonds of security in terms of r 66 (1) of the High Court of Zimbabwe Rules, 1971 in order to meet the summary judgment applications. Although the application was strongly opposed by Mr Mazonde who appeared for the applicant, I granted the application as it was apparent that Mr Mpofu was not ready to argue the matter and... More
In case No. EC 05/23 the appellant is CCC. The first respondent is ZEC; the second respondent is Busani Sithole; the third respondent is Mandlenkosi Tshuma; the fourth respondent is Cephas Ncube; the fifth respondent is Lovemore Banda; the sixth respondent is Sambulo Maphosa; and the seventh respondent is One Ncube. The second to the seventh respondents have been declared duly nominated candidates for various wards representing CCC in the Nkayi RDC in the forthcoming 23 general elections. The appeals are against the decisions of the Nomination Courts declaring the respondents duly nominated candidates for various constituencies and wards representing... More
These three matters were consolidated at the Pre-trial Conference stage.
Because all three raised similar issues, largely involved the same parties and called for evidence from the same witnesses the consolidation for the purposes of a single trial was clearly justified. More
As the two matters involve the same subject matter they were consolidated for purposes of this trial. The determination of HC 8866/14 automatically determines the outcome of HC 8193/14. Although in HC 8866/14 Innocent Paradzayi Makwiramiti (Mr. Makwiramiti) sued 6 defendants it is only Solomon Sigauke (Mr Sigauke) who defended the matter, so he is the only defendant in that matter. So these two cases HC 8866/14 and HC 8193/14 involve Mr. Makwiramiti and Mr. Sigauke only. More
This judgment relates to the appeals filed by the four appellants against the decision of the Nomination Court to reject their nomination for the Vungu National Assembly Constituency, the Gokwe Central National Assembly Constituency, the Gokwe Chireya National Assembly Constituency and Gweru Urban National Assembly Constituency, respectively. All the appeals raised the same issues and so were consolidated with the consent of the parties. More
The dispute relates to a contract of employment wherein respondents allege breach of a contract of employment by failing to pay wages and salaries. Matter was taken to an arbitrator who granted an award on 23rd October 2012. For some unknown reason the award was quantified in November 2015. The matter had been heard in January 2012. Therefore, the cause of action was complete in January 2012 when the respondents were fully aware of the facts constituting their cause of action. More
In 1996, Mr Earnest Taurai Rambayi (whom I will from now on call Taurai) made a ludicrous decision. He sold his land in the prime location of Harare Central Business District. He must have immediately regretted his decision because soon after the sale he attempted to resile from it. Among other reasons for his repudiation of the contract he alleged that his wife had chided him and refused to approve the sale. When the purchasers of the property held him to the agreement Taurai remained intransigent. Unfortunately, his wife’s name did not appear on the title deed of the property.... More
The three records of proceedings came to the High Court through referral by scrutinising regional magistrates in terms of s58 (3) of the Magistrates’ Court Act [Chapter 7:10]. The records were separately placed before two other judges and me. After a discussion, the judges were of the view that the concerns arising from the proceedings were similar. It was therefore prudent to address them in a composite judgment. More
