HARARE High Court judges are set to hear a total of 48 cases that have been set down for trial this year, 47 of which are murder cases and a single case of fraud. SENIOR COURT REPORTER
The murder trials will include the continuation of the trial of Makaika Milanzi and his six co-accused facing charges of murdering Dr Christopher Mushonga during a robbery at his house in Mt Pleasant, Harare, on June 18, 2009.
The trials will also include several cases of domestic disputes which could have been solved amicably.
In two instances, the accused persons allegedly sprinkled paraffin over the now-deceased before setting them ablaze, killing both of them.
In another matter, the accused, Enias Kurapwi, allegedly slit the throat of the now-deceased following an argument and she died on the spot.
In yet another matter, the accused stabbed the deceased in the chest with a kitchen knife, while in another matter the accused allegedly struck his victim with a hoe handle in the ribs following a misunderstanding.
Addressing a gathering during the official opening of the High Court first term a fortnight ago, Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku lamented the failure of capital punishment to deter people from committing murder.
“The existence of the death penalty in our system on its own appears not to be bringing the desired result — that of deterring would be murderers. I, therefore, call upon all leaders in the community to look into the issue and devise ways of minimising the incidences of unnecessary deaths in their community,” Justice Chidyausiku said.
