THE STATE

versus

DIGNITY MASVIMBO

HIGH COURT OF ZIMBABWE

MOYO J

GWERU 30 AND 31 JANUARY 2018

Criminal Trial

S Pedzisai for the state

T Kamwemba for the accused

            MOYO J:       The accused person faces a charge of murder, it being alleged that on 26 April 2017, he stabbed the deceased Oripa Gapare several times all over the body, resulting in deceased’s death.

Documentary exhibits were tendered as follows:

Exhibit 1 -       state summary

Exhibit 2 -       defence outline

Exhibit 3 -       accused’s confirmed warned and cautioned statement

Exhibit 4 -       post mortem report

            The cellphone that deceased owned a ZTE type was also tendered and marked Exhibit 5.

            The facts of this matter are fairly straightforward, accused and deceased separated sometime in October 2016 following a domestic dispute.  The now deceased left accused to go and live with her parents.  Accused tried in vain to persuade the deceased and her parents so that deceased could come back and live with him.  Deceased’s mother insisted on lobola payment as a condition for the return of the deceased to accused’s place.  Later on, on 26 April accused then went to deceased’s place of residence, entered the house unannounced, and had an altercation with deceased, dragged her outside and stabbed her 27 times with an okapi knife that he had brought with him.