A Chitungwiza woman, Plaxedes Mashasha, who is facing a charge of culpable homicide, was granted $50 000 bail by a magistrate.
Mashasha was arrested after she kept the decomposing body of her husband at her house for days without notifying authorities.
Last month, Chitungwiza regional magistrate Clever Tsikwa ordered that Mashasha be mentally examined and the medical report stated that she was fit to stand trial.
State prosecutor Pamela Dzinduwa had opposed her bail application saying the accused will cause public disorder and disturb the prevailing peace in her community if released.
Citing section 117(2)(b) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act, Dzinduwa said:
The circumstances of the case show that if she is released on bail, that might endanger her safety.
There has been public outcry over the matter, and it was on all social media platforms. So, to protect her, may the accused be denied bail.
In his ruling, magistrate Tsikwa said the State failed to make convincing submissions to support its claims. He said:
Whatever was said through social media isn’t before the court. The State didn’t submit that.
This court isn’t part of social media, and we don’t even know what it is happening.
There must be evidence that she attempted to undermine or jeopardise the proper functioning of justice.
The accused isn’t standing here for murdering her husband, but for culpable homicide. It’s an offence based on negligence, not intention.
The matter is now before the courts, and whoever would harm her would be dealt with by the law. Therefore, she must be admitted to bail.
Mashasha was also ordered to continue staying at her house in Zengeza 3 and will appear in court on 30 December for trial.
Besides allegedly keeping her husband’s body for days, Gogo Mashasha also allegedly kept her 39-year-old son, Grant Mashasha in the house for more than a decade. | NewsDay