Chitungwiza murder: Relatives demand trial

By The NewsDay | Feb. 5, 2013 | 2 Min read

THERE was drama at the High Court in Harare yesterday as relatives of the late Chitungwiza woman, Monalisa Chinomona, who was allegedly fatally stabbed by her boyfriend Pritchard Zimondi, objected to another postponement of the trial.

The trial initially failed to kick off last year after Zimondi’s lawyer Norman Mugiya failed to file his client’s defence outline on time, prompting a postponement to yesterday.

Dressed in an all-black attire, Chinomona’s relatives were visibly angry as trial prosecutor Editor Mavuto attempted to explain why the trial could not proceed.

The matter, which was set to be heard by High Court judge Justice Felistus Chatukuta, suffered another false start after Zimondi produced medical cards confirming he was not too well and unfit to stand trial.

The matter was eventually taken to High Court judge Justice Joseph Musakwa who postponed it to today for trial.

Allegations against Zimondi are that on April 24 last year, he fatally stabbed Chinomona at her parents’ residence in Unit K, Chitungwiza. Chinomona was allegedly stabbed 15 times all over her body and when police officers arrived at the scene, they found her body lying in a pool of blood, her face covered with a pillow and a knife still stuck in her chest.

The State alleges that on the day in question, Chinomona’s mother Marian and her brother Tanyaradzwa, had left the now deceased alone at home while they went about other family chores in the sprawling dormitory town.

However, at about 9:45am, Tanyaradzwa returned home and found the main door locked after which he used spare keys to gain entry into the house.

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He then proceeded to the now deceased’s room where he stared in horror discovering his sister lying in a pool of blood with several stab wounds on her body and a knife stuck in her chest. The State has subpoenaed 16 witnesses to testify in the matter.