The accused persons are charged with murder of a policeman in the course of duty on 29 May 2011.
This has been a protracted trial fraught with applications and counter applications. The state has now applied for a two week postponement of the trial to facilitate the calling of an expert witness, a foreign doctor who conducted the post-mortem on the remains of the deceased. There are certain protocols and procedures that have to be fulfilled before the foreign doctor can testify before our local courts.The long and short of it all is that he can only testify with the... More
The accused persons stand charged with murder as defined in s 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Cap. 9:23]. In the alternative or concurrently they are charged with public violence as defined in s 36 of the Act. This seemingly unending marathon trial has now entered the home stretch to the relief of everyone concerned following the closure of the state case. More
The 2 accused persons face a charge of murder, it being alleged that on the 19th of November 2017 at Insiza bus stop along the Bulawayo-Harare highway they fatally assaulted Chibhase Chinamasa with an axe handle thereby causing his death from the injuries sustained in that assault. The state tendered the following into the court record .
- the state summary.
- the affidavit of the police officer who identified the deceased’s body to the pathologist.
- the post mortem report which gives the cause of death as peritonitis, raptured small bowel, blunt force trauma.
- both accused’s confirmed warned... More
Both accused persons are facing a charge of murder as defined in s 47(1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, [Cap 9:23]. The charge is that on 19 May 2017 at about 7 km peg along the Roy – Gutu road in Masvingo each or both of the accused in the company of one Nyasha Sango who is at large caused the death of Phio Jeketera by stabbing him with an okapi knife in the course of a robbery. More
The gods should have literally smiled at the accused in this matter when he appeared before the trial Magistrate at Chivi. Indeed the accused was treated with kid gloves to say the least as a manifestly lenient sentence was imposed. The accused seemed to have continued to ride his luck as the learned scrutinising Regional Magistrate despite initial well founded reservations nonetheless was apparently persuaded to confirm the proceedings as in accordance with real and substantial justice!! More
At the close of the defence cases for accused persons both Mr Mutema for accused 1 and Mr O Mafa for accused 2 indicated that they had no closing submissions either orally or written to make. Indeed, their stance may be understandable. The case for both accused persons is not an easy one to say the least. It is only Mr Mbavarira for the state who filed written closing submissions. More
The tragic events in this matter unfolded on the new year’s day being 1 January 2017, a day normally associated with merry making, at Bhuka business centre a few kilometres outside Masvingo town along the Masvingo to Beit Bridge highway. More
The two accused pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder which occurred on 15 February, 2018 at a place between Cotton Company of Zimbabwe and Mashonaland Tobacco, along Bulawayo – Harare Railway line adjacent to Lytton Road. The place is a known hangout for day prostitutes, drug peddlars and other unlawful vices which occur there. More
The accused is facing a charge of murder as defined in s 47 (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23]. The allegations are that on 21 January 2019 and at Catsiba Farm Chipinge, the accused unlawfully caused the death of Kozanayi Musekeya by shooting him with a rifle intending to kill Kozanayi Musekeya or realising that there was a real risk or possibility that his conduct might cause death and continued to engage in that conduct despite the risk or possibility resulting in injuries from which Kozanayi Musekeya died. More
he accused was convicted of contravening s 49 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23]. He was sentenced to $300 in default of payment 30 days imprisonment. In addition 30 days imprisonment was wholly suspended on condition of future good behaviour. More
The accused was convicted on his own plea of guilty on a charge of contravening section 3(i) as read with section 30(2) of the Gold Trade Act [Chapter 21:03] in that he was found in unlawful possession of 31.0659 grammes of Reef Gold valued at $1 667 922.00.
On those facts the accused was sentenced to pay a fine of $500 000.00 or in default of payment 10 months imprisonment. In addition 12 months imprisonment was suspended on the usual conditions of good behaviour for a period of 5 years. The reef Gold concerned was forfeited to the State. More
The accused person in this case was convicted by a provincial magistrate at Guruve of two counts of stock theft as defined in s 114(2) (a) of The Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23]. Having found that no special circumstances existed the provincial magistrate sentenced the accused to the minimum mandatory 9 years imprisonment on each count. The record of proceedings was placed before me for what is colloquially called automatic review in terms of s57 of the Magistrates Court Act [Chapter 7:10]. I dispensed with the norm of seeking the views of the concerned magistrate before reviewing... More
Andrew Tshuma, a male adult aged, 39, stands accused of the murder of his roommate Prince Guvheya over a trivial issue arising from accused’s lack of hygiene. He has been charged of contravening s47(1) of the Criminal Law Codification and reform Act, [Chapter 9:23], herein after, the Criminal Law Code. Initially there were three suspects but two where never arrested and are on the run. More
This matter came before me by way of automatic review. Having reflected at length, I am of the view that the conviction is not safe. This is despite that the accused pleaded guilty. More
