The accused is charged with the crime of murder as defined in section 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23. It is being alleged that on 10 September 2022 and at Donga football ground, Donga village, Chief Sikalenge, Binga, the accused caused the death of Planner Munenge by assaulting him with a brick once on the head intending to kill him or realising that there was a real risk or possibility that your conduct may cause death but continued nonetheless.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge but tendered a plea of guilty to the... More
The accused person appeared before a Magistrate sitting at Masvingo charged with 3 counts of contravening section 114(2)of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act [Chapter 9:23]. In essence accused stole 3 donkeys from the complainant in count one, one donkey from the complainant in count two and 6 donkeys from the complainant in count three. In total he stole 10 donkeys of which only three donkeys were recovered. More
The accused appeared before a Regional Magistrate at Bulawayo charged with having extra-marital sexual intercourse with a young person in contravention of section 7O(1)(a) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act (Chapter 9:23). The age of the complainant was stated in the charge sheet to be 15 years but no evidence of her age was led. On his part, the accused pleaded guilty but denied knowing the complainant’s age. He was convicted and sentenced to 15 months imprisonment of which 5 months imprisonment was suspended for 5 years on condition the accused does not during this period commit any... More
Legal Aid Directorate The deceased arrived at Andrew Muleya’s homestead looking for his lost cattle. The accused and the deceased exchanged harsh words. Accused then uttered words to the effect that, “Get away from here. I am not the one who bewitched you. You failed to sleep with your mother to become a traditional healer.” The deceased momentarily left the scene, and was going away when, suddenly he returned and struck the accused with a stick on the shoulder. The accused’s reaction was swift. He picked up a home-made axe and struck the deceased behind the neck. The deceased sustained... More
The accused appeared before us on a charge of murder as defined in section 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23]. He pleaded not guilty but tendered a limited plea of guilty to culpable homicide. The state accepted the limited plea.
A statement of agreed facts was produced and marked Annexure A. These facts are to the effect that the accused who was 32 at the time and the deceased who was 61 were husband and wife. On 15 January 2022 they were together at Nkosibusise Business Centre in Trenance Bulawayo where they were drinking beer. More
The applicant who faces three counts of murder and one of attempted murder sought bail. The three people shot to death were all members of his employee’s family in particular the employee’s wife and two minor children. What triggered the shootings was some missing grain which the applicant suspected his worker to have stolen. I denied applicant bail and provided oral reasons which I said I would reduce to writing. More
On the 10th May 2018 and at around 16:00 hours, Chitekete place in Muyobe Village, ChiefSiabuwa,Binga, was the venue for a drinking party. Traditional brew was for sale. EsteryMuzamba was host to several villagers who had gathered to enjoy the alcoholic drink commonly known as “skokiana” or quick brew. The beer is known to be popular in the country side for its affordability andpotency. The beer is typically brewed over one day. It was at this place, where the deceased, Charles Chama Muzamba, the first and second accused and others were gathered and consuming alcohol. The first accused was aged... More
The accused was charged with murder as defined in s 47(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] it being alleged that on 23 December 2016 at Gute Nite Club Ziko Dema the accused unlawfully and intentionally caused the death of Benjamin Chandimhara by strangulating the deceased with a shoe lace. More
The accused is 23 years old. He was 21 at the time of commission of the offence. The deceased was 32.
The accused was charged with one count of murder as defined in section 47 (1 of the Criminal Code, Chapter 9:23. He denied the murder charge and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of culpable homicide.
The state and the defence filed an agreed statement of facts. The deceased was the accused’s uncle. The accused quarreled with his own mother allegedly over a piece of soap which he (accused had taken). The accused started assaulting his mother and sister.... More
The accused faces a charge of murder it being alleged that on the 31st of October 2016, at Midlands Ranch Farm, Mberengwa the accused person unlawfully caused the death of Takuraisu Madimura by shooting him on the left side of the body with a 303 rifle.
Accused denied the charge of murder and pleaded guilty to the lessor charge of culpable homicide. State counsel accepted the limited plea and the parties drew and tendered a statement of agreed facts. More
The accused person faces a charge of murder, it being alleged that on the 1st day of April 2019 and at house number A 5736 Old Pumula the accused person unlawfully caused the death of Mthokozisi Phakathi by stabbing him with an Okapi knife, 3 times on the left side of the chest and once on the right side of the chest, thereby causing his death. More
The accused person faces a charge of murder, it being alleged that on the 23rd of June 2020 at house No. 1418 Light Industry Gokwe, the accused caused the death of the deceased Anywhere Tshuma by assaulting her and strangling her. The accused denies the charge. More
At the close of the case for the state we dismissed the accused’s application for discharge made in terms of s 198(3) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act [Chapter 9:07]. We gave our reasons ex tempore. The accused had raised the defence of self-defence and our view was that the accused’s version of events should be properly ventilated during his defence case to properly ascertain if indeed he could not be convicted of the charge of murder or any other permissible verdict. In short it was necessary for the accused to lay in his evidence the factual basis of... More
This case was poorly investigated, prosecuted in a very onerous way and also defended in a clumsy way. In our view this conclusion is inescapable when one looks at the evidence presented before us. The investigating officer was clearly untruthful. The State sought not to put before the court facts which were reasonably within its knowledge and the defence was hell bent to deny or, dispute the obvious. More
KABASA J: The accused was initially charged with attempted murder as defined in section 47 as read with section 189 of the Criminal Law Code. He was jointly charged with his girlfriend who was found not guilty at the end of the trial.
Both accused had pleaded not guilty with the then accused 1 proffering a defence of self defence whilst the accused (Tawanda Mharadze) admitted assaulting his wife but denied an intention to kill her. More
