The accused, a 45 year old woman 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, More
It entails achieving a delicate balance between competing factors. These are aggravating and mitigating factors. It is a function of judicial discretion which is exercised judiciously and not capriciously.
Both accused were jointly charged with the then accused 3 Linear Vushe aged 21 years of Plot 9, ‘A’ Farm, Zvamahande in Mashava. A separation of trial was granted and charges against Linear Vushe were withdrawn before plea. More
According to the pre-sentencing community service suitability assessment report filed of record, the accused and complainant were husband and wife. Their marriage ended on 23 October 2023 after but a month. It ended as a result of the act of domestic violence forming subject of these proceedings. It ended with the accused headed to prison, and complainant with a disfigured ear. The accused was arraigned at Marondera facing a charge of “physical abuse”. This being a contravention of section 4(1) as read with section 3 (1) of the Domestic Violence Act [ Chapter 5:16]. He was convicted on a plea... More
The main issue to be determined in this matter is how the now deceased sustained the fatal head injury on 2 August 2021.
The first point of call is a factual rather than a legal one. It entails simply a proper juxtaposition of the version by the state on one hand and that by the defence on the other.
The accused is facing a charge of murder as defined in section 47 (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23].
The charge is that on 2 August 2021 and inside Muchacha bottle store and shop at Chiredzana... More
The background to this case is that the accused appeared before the court a quo on a default enquiry which was centered on the accused’s default in performing community service as had been ordered by the court. More
The accused is facing a charge of murder as defined in s 47(1) of the Criminal Law Code. The allegations are that on the 4th of June 2022, at around 1900 hours the accused person and his accomplice Farai Chikukutu waylaid the deceased Courage Muzarawetu at Seke Flyover along Seke Road, Harare and hit him on the head with a half brick and he fell down and died. The accused person and his accomplice then took the deceased’s Huawei Honor 7 cellphone, an Econet line 0774 357 074 and a pair of shoes. The two then left the deceased lying... More
The accused persons and one Ngonidzashe Mutsvene were charged with fraud as defined in s 136(b) of the Criminal Law ( Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] More
The facts show that as at 17th August 2022 the accused was 27 whilst the deceased was 74 years old. The deceased came to the borehole where the accused and other villagers were fetching water. The deceased advised the accused not to use the pump in the manner the accused was using it and held the accused by his shirt. The accused then struck him with open hands and fists on the face and all over the body. Efforts to restrain the accused failed and the accused pushed the deceased towards the pump. He fell and hit his head against... More
The accused was initially facing a charge of murder as defined in s 47(1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform Act) [Cap 9:23] but now stands convicted of a permissible verdict of contravening section 49 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform Act) [Cap 9:23] which relates to culpable homicide. More
On 1 July 2022, the accused who was staying with his parents had a dispute with his family members over his behaviour and he became violent. The family members then sought refuge at the deceased’s place of residence. On the next morning when the family members returned home the accused was still violent and he blocked them from entering the house. The deceased arrived and tried to talk to the accused, but the accused stabbed him with a kitchen knife on the left side of the lower region of the back near the ribs. The post mortem report states that... More
The two accused persons appeared before this court facing a charge of murder as defined in s 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23]. More
The accused was initially facing the charge of murder as defined in s 47(1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Cap 9:23]. However, at the commencement of the trial both the state and the defence agreed that the charge of culpable homicide as defined in s 49 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Cap 9:23] is the appropriate charge. The accused was thus duly convicted on his own plea of guilty of the charge of culpable homicide. More
