Midlands Province Tops Murder Cases, 90% Of Killings Involve Lethal Weapons
The Midlands Province has the highest rate of murder cases in the country, with 90% of these incidents involving lethal weapons, according to the National Prosecution Authority (NPA).
In a recent series of murder cases handled by the courts, some offences involved police officers, including a case involving Officer Mitch Tafirenyika.
Tafirenyika, who was aged 28 at the time he committed the offence, was accused of murder and appeared before a Gweru magistrate last week.
He had been part of a special unit assigned to apprehend two armed robbery suspects, Tichaona Muzhanduki and Doubt Munsaka, at a local farm. Said the NPA:
Tafirenyika and a colleague were armed with service rifles and proceeded to the farm, where upon arrival they split into four groups and surrounded the house. The now-deceased opened the door after the police had knocked on the door.
Tafirenyika immediately opened fire and shot the deceased in the chest and arms, killing him instantly. He will receive his sentence this Friday.
In another case, a 34-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison for two counts of murder. Courage Hwami appeared before the High Court in Gweru, facing charges of murder and attempted murder.
The first count pertains to an incident on December 4, 2023, involving Hwami, a 19-year-old victim, and a complainant at the Vhudzijena Night Club in Mkoba 16 Business Centre.
During their time at the club, a misunderstanding escalated between Hwami and the deceased. Reads the document:
The two fought, and the security officer at the club restrained them. After a while, the accused person charged towards the deceased, who was with the complainant, and stabbed him with a Columbia knife once on the left side of the chest and the back.
Hwami gave chase to the complainant and stabbed him once in the chest outside the bar before fleeing the scene. The deceased died on the spot as a result of the attack.
Hwami was eventually arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the first count of murder and was given an additional 10-year sentence for count two.
In yet another case, a 20-year-old Shurugwi man was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for killing his cousin over a plate of sadza. Said the NPA:
Tawanda Chinyati (20) appeared before the High Court sitting at Gweru on murder charges. The accused person and the now-deceased are cousins.
On 24 February 2024 the accused person and the now deceased, aged 23 at the time the offence was committed, were at home where supper was served.
The family of four was supposed to eat in pairs. The deceased refused to share his plate saying that he was the eldest.
The accused person and the other two shared one plate and the deceased ate alone. When the now deceased finished his food he joined the other three and started eating their food.
An argument arose between the accused person and the now-deceased and the now-deceased slapped the accused person once on the face.
The accused person walked away and returned with a flick knife which he used to stab the now-deceased once in the chest before fleeing the scene.
The deceased was taken to Shurugwi District Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The accused person was convicted and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.
In Mvuma, Trust Khaki was convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder of his 15-month-old daughter.
The crime occurred in 2021 when his wife left the infant in his care while she went to collect the family’s share of social welfare donations. Said the NPA:
When the deceased’s mother returned, she found the accused holding the deceased, who was struggling to breathe, with bruises on her chin, a swollen left side, a bump on her forehead, and a scratch on her back.
The deceased was rushed to her grandmother, where they established that she was already dead.
It was discovered during investigations that the deceased had been struck once on the head with a blunt object and several times all over the body with an unknown object. It was also established that the deceased had been sexually abused.
More: Pindula News
