On 31 August 2012 the murder of two-year-old Tatenda Nyamurenje (the deceased) sent shockwaves within the community of Katsamudanga village in Mutoko. Not least that the child had been murdered, but that he had been murdered by his own father Farai Nyamurenje (the accused). The facts of the matter are common cause and they are that on the fateful night when the family had retired to bed, the accused returned home from a beer drink. He went to the kitchen hut where the deceased and his mother Estere Matinyanya Nyamurenje were asleep. He demanded to take his son but Estere... More
This is a matter involving a fight amongst small scale illegal gold panners over gold ore. Always common in these fights is the use of sharp knives with fatal consequences. What has emerged from this saga is that the accused and his friend Tauya Chitembetembe arrived at a gold hammermill at Glassgow Compound, Kadoma, on the 3rd of March 2022 to toast their gold ore. Upon arrival they found the deceased already processing his own gold ore in the company of several others. This area is housed within some building and divided by a thatched hedge. One side is where... More
Fenious Petros Macquia a 25 year old vendor at Boss K’s bar in Domboramwari Epworth (“herein after the accused”), faces a charge of murder in contravention of s 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9.23] (hereinafter the Code). The allegations against him are that he unlawfully and intentionally caused the death of Edward Bhauleni ( “herein after the deceased”) by stabbing him on the chest and striking him on the head with a brick, or realising that there was a real risk or possibility that death may occur, persisted with his conduct despite the risk or... More
The 3 accused persons were convicted on charges of rape and sentenced by the same Magistrate on different dates.
It is however convenient to deal with all the 3 cases in one review judgment as they have a lot in common. More
The accused appeared before the court charged with the crime of murder as defined in s 47 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23]. It is the State’s contention that on 12 Aril 1997 and at Chabvukwa Village the accused unlawfully and with intent to kill or realising there was a real risk or possibility that death might result struck Kustera Muyambo with a stick and log all over the body thereby inflicting injuries from which the said Kustera Muyambo died. More
Garikai Kamupiro (hereinafter referred to as the accused) was indicted before the High Court facing a charge of murder. The state alleged that on 10 February 2023 at Chidziva Farm Compound, Mvurwi the accused had a fallout with her husband Frank Milanzi (hereinafter the deceased). As a result, she brutally attacked him with logs several times all over the body. It is alleged that she did so with intent to kill or realizing that there was a real risk or possibility that her conduct may cause death but still continued to engage in that conduct despite the risk or possibility.... More
The deceased succumbed to death on 18 December 2011 from burns sustained in a horrific inferno at her matrimonial home on 14 December 2013. The circumstances under which she sustained the mortal burns are hotly contested. That the deceased caught fire after she had been doused in paraffin and then set alight is beyond question. More
The 3 accused persons appeared before this court on 21 May, 2018 facing 3 counts of fraud, 4 counts of Criminal Abuse of duty as a public officer, 4 counts of Money laundering and 3 counts of corruptly concealing from the principal a personal interest in a transaction. They did not plead to the charges. When the 3 initially appeared as aforesaid, they were part of an indictment which listed 5 accused persons. The other 2, namely Jonathan Moyo and Frederick Mandizvidza had charges against them withdrawn before plea. Jonathan Moyo was not served with the indictment whilst Frederick Mandizvidza... More
In this application, counsel for the 1st accused, Mr Matinenga filed a preliminary application to have the charges against the 1st accused quashed. Counsel for the 3rd accused subsequently advised that he had taken a cue from 1st accused’s counsel and intended to file a similar application. Before I deal with the applications, I will briefly set out the background to this trial so that the trail of proceedings is not lost. More
: Both accused pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder as defined in s 47 (1) (a) or (b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23]. It is the state’s contention that on 31 July 2016 and at around 0001 hours at Musanditeera Gold Panning Area, Chimanimani, the accused did one or both or more of them unlawfully and with intention to kill or realising that there was a real risk or possibility that their conduct might cause death continued to engage in the conduct despite the risk or possibility, assaulted Aaron Mtisi using stones, machetes... More
Accused was subsequently arrested and brought before this court for the murder trial. The summarized facts are that the accused was seen by two of the State witnesses who attested orally in court arriving at Seaways Night Club, the scene of crime. The first witness Josephine Danken, the then bar tender testified that when the accused arrived at the joint in the early hours of the morning, he and his colleagues caused a pandemonium in the bar. They forcibly retrieved a US$5.00 note from the bar lady after demanding free beer from the patrons. They then started assaulting the other... More
The accused is charged with murder as defined in s 47 (1) (a) or (b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, [Chapter 9:23]. It is alleged that on 20 May 2018 and at Chikware Village, Chief Musikavanhu accused unlawfully caused the death of Anzilla Mhlanga by striking her on the head with a machete, intending to kill Anzilla Mhlanga or realising that there was a real risk or possibility that his conduct might cause death and continued to engage on the conduct despite the risk or possibility resulting in injuries from which Anzilla Mhlanga died. The accused pleaded... More
The accused a known mental patient appeared before the Court charged with the crime of murder as defined in s 47 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23]. It is alleged by the State that on 2 June 2015 at Chadamoyo ‘B’ Village, Chief Garahwa, Chipinge, the accused person assaulted the deceased using two stones. The deceased sustained severe injuries from which the deceased died. More
Both accused were initially charged with murder but were convicted on their own pleas of guilty to the lesser charge of culpable homicide as defined in s 49 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Cap. 9:23]. More
