The two accused persons are residents respectively of Zimbiru and Mungate villages under Chief Chinamhora. They were arraigned before this court on a charge of murder as defined in s 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification & Reform) Act, [Chapter 9:23]. The indictment against them alleges that on 31 January, 2016 around 2230 hours the two of them unlawfully and intentionally caused the death of one, Allan Katimba whom they manhandled and stabbed on the inner and upper elbow twice using a sharp edged broken bottle resulting in injuries from which Allan Katimba dies. More
The accused is facing a charge of murder as defined in s 47 of the Criminal law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23]. It is being alleged that on 6 January 2013 at Magunje Growth Point, Magunje, the accused unlawfully and with intent to kill or realizing that there was a real risk or possibility that his conduct might cause death, stabbed the now deceased Wellington Nzombe once on the neck with a broken bottle thereby causing injuries from which the deceased died. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge, and tendered a defence outline which was produced in... More
The record in this matter was submitted for review by the Chief Magistrate’s Office which raised concerns following receipt of a complaint from the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services regarding the acquittal of the accused person by the magistrate. More
The matter is coming up for judgement. It is with a sign of relief that we come to this concluding stage of the murder trial given the matter has been long outstanding since 2012. The 28th of April 2017, marked closure of trial of the 4 accused persons in a trial which started off with the accused being 5. We are indebted to both State and Defence counsel for filing closing submissions timeously, submissions which we found valuable and of assistance to the court in coming up with our disposition. During the course of the trial one Norman Mafigo who... More
This matter was referred for review by the scrutinizing regional magistrate who on the facts of the case was unhappy with the propriety of the conviction. More
An accused person who pleads guilty to a charge must have all the essential elements of the offence put to him, each in turn. He must be accorded an opportunity to respond to each element of the crime. Where he is convicted when some element(s) of the offence has/ have not been put to him, his conviction is improper. It cannot, therefore, stand. More
The accused is charged with the crime of murder as defined in s 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, [Chapter 9:23]. The allegations against him are that on 11 February, 2016 and at Mandaza Village, Chief Nyamweda, Mhondoro, he intentionally and unlawfully caused the death of one Chido Kurwakumire, a female juvenile by stabbing her with a knife repeatedly on and upon her body. The deceased resultantly died of the injuries which she sustained. More
