The latest addition to the rising statistics involved Emmanuel Machokoto, (hereinafter referred to as “the accused”), who appeared before us charged with the murder of his wife, Mercy Munosunama (“hereinafter referred to as the deceased”) in contravention of s 47 (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] (hereinafter referred to as “the Code”). The prosecution alleged that on 7 April 2022 he fatally assaulted the deceased with a belt and fists several times and pushed her head against the wall. More
Determining an appropriate sentence generally is not a easy task for any judicial officer. It entails making a delicate balance between competing interests. It is much easier where the statute prescribes a minimum mandatory sentence in which case the discretion of the court is ousted. More
Accused faces a charge of murder, it being alleged that on the 23rd of October 2020 and at Village Zinyoro, Headman Zinyoro, Chief Chirumhanzi, the accused person unlawfully caused the death of Learnmore Maphosa by striking him on the head and all over the body several times with logs intending to kill him and thereby causing his death. More
This is an appeal against sentence imposed on the appellant following his conviction on one count of rape as defined in s 65 of the code and one count of robbery as defined in s 126 of the code. In respect of the rape count, the appellant was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment. He was sentenced to 6 years imprisonment on the robbery charge.
From the total of 24 years imprisonment the court a quo suspended 5 years leaving an effective 19 years imprisonment. The suspension was on the condition that the appellant does not commit an offence of a... More
The accused (30) faces a charge of murder as defined in s 47(1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] (the Criminal Law Code). The allegations are that on 3 October 2021 and at the Council market in Unit J Seke, Chitungwiza, the accused unlawfully and with intent to kill, stabbed Ernest Makwembere ( (21) with a broken piece of glass on the neck thereby causing injuries from which the said Ernest Makwembere (the deceased ) died. More
A seventeen-year-old teenager died of five gunshot wounds, one in the head, three in the thorax region and one on the thigh at the hands of the accused person on the 9th of May 2020 at house stand number 732 Rudland, Orange Groove Chinhoyi. An arrest was made close to five months later, on the 28th of September 2020 resulting in murder charges in contravention of section 47(1) of the Criminal Law Reform and Codification Act [Chapter 9:23] being preferred on the accused. Interestingly, bail was granted on the following day on initial remand. More
The two accused persons were initially jointly charged with two others. They all faced the crime of murder as defined in s 47 (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] (The Criminal law Code). Just before the court could pass judgment accused 2 defaulted. The prosecutor applied for a warrant of arrest to be issued against him which the court did. The State further applied for a separation of trials to enable the court to pass judgment in relation to accused 1. The application was granted. The verdict at the end of the judgment therefore relates... More
