Sentencing an offender is the most difficult, touching, sensitive, emotional and delicate part of a criminal trial. It is a stage of the trial proceedings where a trial court, and even an appellate one, has a closest encounter with an accused person. A sentencing judicial officer unavoidably stands in the place of God in punishing a fellow mortal who has been confirmed to be guilty of a crime. More
This is a family tragedy of epic proportions. A father who died at the hands of his two eldest sons who on their part are likely to spend the rest of their more productive ages in prison. More
On 31 August 2012 the murder of two-year-old Tatenda Nyamurenje (the deceased) sent shockwaves within the community of Katsamudanga village in Mutoko. Not least that the child had been murdered, but that he had been murdered by his own father Farai Nyamurenje (the accused). The facts of the matter are common cause and they are that on the fateful night when the family had retired to bed, the accused returned home from a beer drink. He went to the kitchen hut where the deceased and his mother Estere Matinyanya Nyamurenje were asleep. He demanded to take his son but Estere... More
This is a matter involving a fight amongst small scale illegal gold panners over gold ore. Always common in these fights is the use of sharp knives with fatal consequences. What has emerged from this saga is that the accused and his friend Tauya Chitembetembe arrived at a gold hammermill at Glassgow Compound, Kadoma, on the 3rd of March 2022 to toast their gold ore. Upon arrival they found the deceased already processing his own gold ore in the company of several others. This area is housed within some building and divided by a thatched hedge. One side is where... More
Garikai Kamupiro (hereinafter referred to as the accused) was indicted before the High Court facing a charge of murder. The state alleged that on 10 February 2023 at Chidziva Farm Compound, Mvurwi the accused had a fallout with her husband Frank Milanzi (hereinafter the deceased). As a result, she brutally attacked him with logs several times all over the body. It is alleged that she did so with intent to kill or realizing that there was a real risk or possibility that her conduct may cause death but still continued to engage in that conduct despite the risk or possibility.... More
Accused was subsequently arrested and brought before this court for the murder trial. The summarized facts are that the accused was seen by two of the State witnesses who attested orally in court arriving at Seaways Night Club, the scene of crime. The first witness Josephine Danken, the then bar tender testified that when the accused arrived at the joint in the early hours of the morning, he and his colleagues caused a pandemonium in the bar. They forcibly retrieved a US$5.00 note from the bar lady after demanding free beer from the patrons. They then started assaulting the other... More
On 11 March 2024, at around 2100 hours in Dengwa village, Chief Mukota in Mudzi, 35-year-old Tafadzwa Chimbangu (hereinafter referred to as "the deceased"), left his residence armed with an unidentified object, en route to the home of 74-year-old Joseph Chifamba (hereinafter referred to as "the accused"). Upon arrival, the deceased forcibly opened the bedroom door and pounced on the accused, who was sleeping on a reed mat. More
