The accused persons have been arraigned in this court facing a charge of murder in violation of section 47 (1) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act (Chapter 9:23). It is alleged that on 18th October 2019 at Battlefields Village, Mbembesi, the accused acting in concert with three other persons, assaulted the deceased, Sifelani Nkomo all over the body several times using switches, a whip and an axe, intending to cause his death or realizing that their conduct may cause his death. The accused persons deny the charges. They however tendered a plea of guilty to the lesser charge... More
The accused faces a charge of murder, it being alleged that on the 9th of August 2021 at his own homestead in Nkayi he unlawfully caused the death of Rangisai Ndlovu by stabbing him once on the chest with a knife and thereby causing his death. The accused offered a limited plea to the charge of culpable homicide. More
The accused pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder as defined in section 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23. He tendered a plea of guilty to culpable homicide which the state rejected. The allegations are that on 16 October 2022 at about 1730 hours the deceased was at a place called Junction Stores at a business centre in Nkayi and in his company were 3 others. They were having a meal when the deceased saw someone he knew and called him over. The two started insulting each other in jest. The accused who heard... More
The state allegations are that the accused and now deceased were husband and wife but were not staying together. On 3 May 2022 the deceased visited the accused at his home. The two had a misunderstanding over some text messages and pictures which were in the deceased’s phone. The accused then picked up a knife and stabbed the deceased several times resulting in her death. More
This review is at the instance of the scrutinising Regional Magistrate. The accused was arraigned before the magistrates’ court sitting at Gweru, in the Midlands Province. He was charged with the crime of sexual intercourse or performing indecent acts with a young person as defined in section 70(1)(c) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23]. It being alleged that on 15 January 2022 the accused solicitated or enticed the complainant, a female juvenile aged 15 years to have extra marital sexual intercourse with him. He pleaded not guilty, and after a contested trial he was convicted and... More
Accused faces a charge of murder, it being alleged that on the 12th of September 2021, and in the grazing lands of Bhuda Village, Nyamandlovu, the accused unlawfully caused the death of Mlungisi Denvour Msunga by stabbing him once on the stomach with a home-made knife and thereby killing him. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. More
The accused appeared before us on a charge of murder to which he pleaded not guilty. In denying the charge he proffered explanations which made it difficult to understand whether he was denying the charge because he disputed the location where the offence occurred or because he knew nothing about the offence. The court entered a plea of not guilty and Mr Mambara could not confirm that the plea was in accordance with his instructions primarily because the accused kept changing statements. This however did not change the plea of not guilty. More
The accused in this matter was charged with the crime of murder as defined in section 47 of the Criminal (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23. It was alleged that on 15 May 2019 at Maphito Grazing Lands, in Tsholotsho, the accused unlawfully struck John Black Ndlovu once on the head with a log intending to kill him or realising that there is a real risk or possibility that his conduct may cause the death of John Black Ndlovu but nonetheless continued to engage in that conduct despite the risk or possibility of death. More
The facts of the matter make sad reading. The accused hails from Makhala Line, Lubimbi Village, Chief Gampu, Tsholotsho. On 19th June 2021 the deceased and her siblings who are aged 10, 4 and 3 years old followed their mother who had visited her uncle Ndumiso Tshuma who stayed in the same village. The deceased was accused’s daughter. She was aged 8 years at the time of her demise. The deceased and her siblings left their grandmother’s homestead, where they had been left by their mother, without the accused’s permission. They went back the following day without their mother. Upon... More
The accused appeared before us on a charge of murder as defined in section 47 (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23 to which he pleaded not guilty.
The state alleges that on 3 September 2020 the accused in the company of Knowledge Museni went to Drunkard 21 Mine Safago in Shurugwi where they saw the now deceased who was seated in a tent. The accused signaled the now deceased to come out of the tent which he did. They proceeded behind the tent where the accused proceeded to stab the now deceased once on the... More
The gospel of community service cannot have possibly escaped this learned and experienced Provincial Magistrate based at Gutu Magistrates Court. Probably his situation can be likened to the biblical parable where the farmer in planting the seeds some of the seeds fell on barren rocky soil and completely failed to properly mature. More
: The accused a 45 year old man was charged with the rape of a 16 year old girl as defined in s 65 (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23]. He denied the charge. After a full trial he was convicted and sentenced to 18 years imprisonment of which 3 years were suspended on the usual conditions. More
The 3 accused appeared before us on a charge of murder as defined in section 47 (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23. They all tendered pleas of not guilty to murder but guilty to culpable homicide. The state accepted the limited pleas in respect of all 3 accused. More
MAKONESE J: The accused is facing one count of murder in aggravating circumstances as defined in section 47(1) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23). It is alleged that on 9th October 2019 at Polite Nkomo’s homestead, Madlambuzi, the accused acting in common purpose with two other accomplices caused the death of MainaMoyo an 82 year old female adult. The accused denied the charge. On the second count accused is facing a charge of robbery in contravention of section 126 (1) of the Criminal Code. The allegation being that on the same day and at the... More
This is a review matter that came before me in terms of s 57(1) of the Magistrates’ Court Act [Chapter 7:10]. The accused was charged with the crime of culpable homicide as defined in s 49 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [ Chapter 9:23]. It being alleged that on 8 December 2022 along Intemba road, opposite Inzwananzi Primary School, Luveve, Bulawayo, the accused unlawfully caused the death of Juninor Joe Mpofu (deceased) by negligently hitting him with a motor vehicle in a road accident. More
