Welcome to Midlands State University Library

Court Judgements



Browse all Court Judgements
1. This appeal is without merit. 2. The first and second appellants were convicted of seven counts of assault as defined in s 89 (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] (“the Code”). With all the counts treated as one for the purposes of sentence each appellant was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment of which 3 months were suspended for 5 years on the usual conditions of good behaviour. More

The appellants appeared before the magistrate at Bindura charged with unlawful possession of gold in contravention of the Gold Trade Act, [Cap 21:03]. Although they vehemently disputed the allegation, after a contested trial, their protestations did not win favour with the court. They were both found guilty and, on 18 February 2009, sentenced to the minimum mandatory five years imprisonment each. They still protest their innocence in the present appeal against both conviction and sentence. Having read the papers, we agreed with the concession by MrsFero, for the State, that the conviction is not supportable. More

The appellant was employed as a teller by the Respondent. She faced allegations of misconduct and was found guilty and dismissed. She appealed to the Local Joint Committee against the employer’s decision and the appeal was unsuccessful. She unsuccessfully appealed again to the negotiating committee. She has now noted this appeal against the decision of the negotiating committee. More

KABASA J: On 24th July 2020 an application was argued before me where the 1st respondent was the applicant in an application seeking condonation for late filing of an application for review. The decision that was sought to be reviewed upon the granting of the application was the 3rd respondent’s. I dismissed that application in a judgment which was handed down on 20 August 2020 More

The appellant was convicted of 4 counts of contravening section 4 (1) as read with section 3 (1)(a) of the Domestic Violence Act Chapter 5:16 and sentenced to 36 months imprisonment of which 6 months were suspended for 5 years on condition of good behaviour. All the counts were taken as one for purposes of sentence. More

The plaintiff and the defendant were in a customary law union with effect from 2010 when the defendant paid lobola for the plaintiff. They lived as husband and wife from then and three children were born to them namely, Nicole, Norah and Fortune. During the subsistence of their union, the parties acquired various assets which include an immovable property known as No 29 Robert Mugabe Road, Kadoma, household goods and effects and there is a mining business set up which the defendant was running. More

The parties married each other in Harare on 14 December 1991 in terms of the Marriage Act [Cap 5:11]. The marriage was blessed with two children, namely Simbarashe Sithole born on 5 September 1992 (now a major) and Mutsawashe Unalina Sithole born on 5 August 1997. There is an old saying which states that all good things come to an end. The parties now find that their marriage has irretrievably broken down. The plaintiff issued summons out of this court on 25 October 2006 seeking a degree of divorcee on the basis of irretrievable breakdown, an order of sharing matrimonial... More

The applicant in this matter was seeking a declaratur in the following terms: “It is declared and ordered that: 1. The reappointment of the commission running the affairs of the City of Harare to serve a fourth term was unlawful, null, void and of no force and effect. 2. The appointment of an inquiring committee to inquire into the suspension of the applicant by the said commission was unlawful, null, void and of no force and effect. 3. The first respondent is not, at law, a Mayor of Harare and cannot, consequently, lawfully discharge any of the functions and exercise... More

1. This is an application for bail pending appeal. Applicant and his co-accused were convicted after a full trial by the Regional Magistrate sitting at Bulawayo on the 21st January 2022, on one count of contravening section 45(1) (b) as read with section 128(b) of the Parks and Wildlife Act [Chapter 20:14], as amended in section 11 of the General Law Amendment 5/2011(possession of specially protected animal trophy – pangolin carcas). They were sentenced to the minimum mandatory imprisonment of nine years. Aggrieved by both conviction and sentence, applicant noted an appeal to this court. The appeal is pending under... More

This is an application to re-open the administration of a finalized deceased estate. The estate has been administered and finalized in terms of the provisions of the Administration of Estates Act [Chapter 6:01]. More

The plaintiff issued summons against the first and the second defendants for the transfer of stand number 2974 Katanga Norton from the first defendant to himself. The first defendant was the late Joseph Nine Sithole’s wife. Joseph Nine Sithole was the original registered owner of the stand in dispute. The late Joseph Sithole died and the first defendant without advising her husband’s relatives transferred the stand from the late Joseph’s estate to herself. More

This matter has been decided by this court on the basis of the papers filed of record in terms of section 89 (2) (1) of the Labour Act. Impression created by the last dates the parties did anything about the matter is that the matter has been abandoned. More

The appellant is appealing against the whole judgment of the High Court (the court a quo) in which it upheld the first respondent’s suit against the appellant claiming a declarator and a half share of Usaramu Farm (the Farm), whereupon the court a quo issued the following order: “Accordingly therefore it is hereby ordered as follows: 1. It is hereby declared that Usaramu Farm was jointly acquired by the Plaintiff and the late Christen Chauraya. 2. The plaintiff’s claim for a half share in the farm is hereby allowed to an extent whereby parties have to take appropriate legal steps... More

On 19 July 2019, applicant applied for bail pending appeal seeking the following relief: “IT IS ORDERED THAT: 1. The bail pending appeal be and is hereby granted on the following conditions:- (i) Applicant deposits cash in the sum of RTGS$100 to the Clerk of Court, Rusape. (ii) Report once to Glen View Police Station on the last Friday of each month until the determination of the Appeal. (iii) The Applicant is to reside at 7252 96th Crescent, Glen View Area 8, Harare, until the determination of the Appeal.” The bail application appeal is opposed by the State. More

1. This is a meritless application for leave to appeal out of time and to prosecute such appeal in person. 2. Having stolen two she goats, one heifer, one steer and one he goat the applicant pleaded guilty to, and was convicted of four counts of stock theft as defined in s 114(2)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23]. 3. He was sentenced as follows: Count one: 9 months imprisonment of which 3 months imprisonment was suspended for 5 years on the usual conditions of good behavior. The remaining 9 months imprisonment was suspended on condition... More