On 16 September 2022 at around 1345 hours, the accused, a 20-year-old single parent, was apprehended by National Railways of Zimbabwe (“NRZ”) security officers along Parsley (presumably Paisely?) Road in Harare. He was found in possession of an article described in the state papers as a “chair plate”. He admitted to having picked this item up from what he described as a “Railways heap”. He was subsequently arraigned before the regional magistrate at Harare. He was convicted and sentenced to an effective 10 years imprisonment, on 19 September 2022 for contravention of section 38 (4) (a) of the Railways Act... More
This homicide was a result of the accused and other villagers’ belief in extra judicial punishment or retribution on the victim whom they suspected of wrongdoing. The four accused appeared before us on a charge of murder as defined in s 47(1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, [Chapter 9:23] (The Code). They are accused of having lynched the deceased to death on 11 April 2020 at Nechiva Village, of Chief Seke. The prosecutor alleges that they unlawfully and with intent to kill, or realizing that there was a real risk or possibility that their conduct may cause... More
The five accused persons appeared before us facing a charge of murder in contravention of s47 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act (Chapter 9:23). When the trial commenced the 3rd accused absconded and the trial proceeded against the 1st ,2nd,4th and 5th accused persons after a separation of trials. The state alleged that in the early hours of the 16th of December 2019 and at Plot 27 Temperly Farm, Murereka, Chinhoyi the accused persons acting in common purpose shot Reginaty Kagondo in the course of a robbery intending to kill her or realising that there was a real... More
Clayton Mabasa Hunda, (hereinafter called “the accused”) appeared before us charged with the crime of murder in contravention of s 47(1), of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23]. The allegations against him are that on 8 November 2021 and at 34 Rolf Avenue, Harare he unlawfully and with the intent to kill or realizing that there was a real risk or possibility that such conduct may cause death but continuing to engage in such conduct despite the risk assaulted Janet Pongolani (hereinafter “the deceased”) several times all over the body with open hands and fists. The deceased... More
The accused faces a charge of murder it being alleged that on the 1st of March 2022, and at his own homestead Halale village, Matobo the accused struck Langton Ngwenya once with an axe on the center of the head and thereby causing his death. The accused pleaded Not Guilty by reason of insanity. The state accepted the plea and together they drew a statement of agreed facts which was tendered into the court record and marked Exhibit 1. More
: “I will beat you until you are healed of your epilepsy!” Those words were the crude statement that the deceased told the accused who indeed is an epilepsy patient. It is not always easy to achieve emotional distance in the face of such extreme provocation. Whether he was under the influence of illicit alcohol or some other substance the provocateur who became the deceased in this murder used unrestrained language to mock the accused. He got killed in the end.
The prosecution alleged that on 30 January 2022 at Gazaland Shopping centre, in Harare, Cleopas Kumire (the accused) unlawfully... More
Like nocturnal predators the accused and his fugitive colleague are alleged to have attacked the deceased under the cover of darkness. The deceased was asleep with his wife possibly at his weakest and most vulnerable. More
