High Court Judge Justice Munamato Mutevedzi has delivered a guilty verdict to Tapiwa Makore Snr and Tafadzwa Shamba for the ritualistic murder of Murewa boy Tapiwa Makore Jnr.
The murder took place in September 2020, and Tapiwa’s body was dismembered and discarded. Read more about the murder here. The judge found Shamba guilty of murder beyond a reasonable doubt and Makore Snr guilty as an accomplice. Sai the judge:
Shamba is guilty beyond reasonable doubt as required by the law. Shamba be and is hereby found guilty for the murder of Tapiwa while Makore Snr is found guilty for the murder of Tapiwa as an accomplice.
The court is satisfied that the statement by Shamba was acceptable and confirms that he committed the offence.
The two accused denied the charges, but Shamba had confessed and provided graphic details of the murder. The judge noted that Shamba’s confession and explicit descriptions of how he killed Tapiwa were sufficient evidence of his guilt. He also pointed to other evidence, such as the house where Tapiwa was held and the container used to hold the illicit brew, as further confirmation of Shamba’s involvement. The judge said:
He (Shamba) explained in graphic detail. That detail elaborates his intimate details regarding commission of the crime.
The first accused (Shamba’s) situation is compounded by other issues.
He did not only confess, he made indications, he pointed to a house the boy was detained, the container which was containing the illicit brew was also found in the same house…
Accused one (Shamba’s) fate is sealed by the fact that body parts were found through his confession.
Makore Snr’s involvement was less clear, but the judge noted that he had supplied alcohol to drug Tapiwa and had locked him in his house for several hours. The judge concluded that Makore Snr had participated in the murder in multiple ways.
Sentencing will occur on July 12.