A terminally ill juvenile aged 18 years was arrested and charged for contravening section 89(4)C of the Postal and Telecommunications Act Chapter 12:05, alternatively, section 10 of the Copper Control Act Chapter 14:12, that is found in possession of copper wires without a license. Both statutory offences carry a specified mandatory prison term with the latter a ten- year automatic custodial sentence. He was convicted of the alternative charge and acquitted on the main after tendering a guilty plea. The trial court found no special circumstances and sentence him to an effective ten- year mandatory sentence. More
On 6 February 2022, Tatenda Manyani a twenty-two year old young man, (herein after referred to as “the accused”), allegedly brutally attacked Emmanuel Choponyera (herein after referred to as “the deceased) at Cornerstone Junior school in Nyatsime Chitungwiza. The accused is alleged to have used booted feet and other unknown objects to indiscriminately assault the deceased. He also dragged him along a paved road. The assault resulted in fatal injuries. Following that violence, Tatenda Manyani was dragged before us, to answer to a charge of murder as defined in s 47(1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter... More
The accused, Mr. Tawana Paul Clifford Ngwenya, is appearing before this court charged with the crime of murder as defined in section 47(1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 (Criminal Law Code). It being alleged that on 29 May 2020 the accused struck Tabelo Mazolo (hereinafter referred to as “the deceased”) on the head with an iron bar and slit her throat with a knife intending to kill her or realising that there is a real risk or possibility that his conduct may cause the death of the deceased and continued to engage in that conduct... 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
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 critical issue in this matter which falls for determination is whether the defence of person or self-defence as provided for under section 253 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] [ the Criminal Code] is available to the accused. More
