Harare, (New Ziana) – The Midlands Special High Court
Circuit has this week sentenced four murderers to an average 20 years
imprisonment for separate murder cases according to the National
Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ).
The Judiciary Services Commission (JSC) set up the special circuit court
in the Midlands province with two judges stationed in the provincial
capital, Gweru and another in Gokwe to deal with the large number of
murder cases in the province.
The violent crimes in the province have been spurred by the
proliferation of artisanal gold mining that has seen an influx of
artisanal miners, many of whom resort to drugs and alcohol to numb the
pain of the backbreaking jobs and give them courage to dare the
underground dangers involved.
This in turn led to the emergency of machete gangs fighting to protect
their mining claims, often leading to grisly murders with ordinary
members of the public getting caught up in the vicious cycle.
The NPAZ said Charles Sibanda, (40) from Chigigwa Village, Mberengwa was
sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by the High Court in Gweru for the
murder of Tracy Ncube (31).
The murder occurred on August 13 last year around 10pm when a
misunderstanding arose among patrons at Kalahari Night Club, Yorks
Business Centre, Mberengwa and escalated into a fight.
Sibanda left the bar briefly and returned with an Okapi Knife which he
used to stab Sheron Zvandasara on the thigh and Tracy Ncube once in the
chest. Tracy was rushed to Hospital where she was pronounced dead upon
arrival.
In Shurugwi, Evans Fungato, a 32-year-old employee of Jinan Mining
Company in Gweru was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by the High
Court Circuit in Gweru for the murder of Kudakwashe Midzi (23).
The incident occurred on October 19, 2019 at around 6pm in Dongo B
Compound, Shurugwi. The now deceased was walking with friends, Witness
Maroora and Cruise Professor Chandigere when the offender confronted him
holding an axe.
The offender instructed the now-deceased to stay behind and struck him
on the head with the back of the axe, rendering him unconscious. He also
attempted to attack Witness Maroora, but he was disarmed by Cruise
Professor Chandigere before he took to his heels. Midzi was rushed to
Shurugwi Hospital and was later transferred to Gweru Provincial Hospital
where he succumbed to his injuries on October 27, 2019.
In Gokwe, James Munyaradzi from Gokwe South was sentenced to 23 years in
prison by the Gweru High Court Circuit for murdering a 28-year old man
on January 7 last year.
Munyaradzi and the deceased, Knowledge Jenhe had a misunderstanding and
the former stabbed the latter on the left side of the head and once on
the left side of the chest. Munyaradzi fled from the scene where Jenhe
died as a result of deep cuts.
Separately, Parksyard Muringi (21) of Zhangazha Village, Gokwe North was
sentenced to 17 years in prison for fatally stabbing Tapiwa Ziyambe (37)
at a funeral in Mahachi Village, on May 15, 2022.
The attack occurred after a confrontation between their brothers.
Muringi stabbed Ziyambe in the back before he fled the scene. He was
convicted and sentenced by the High Court Sitting in Gweru.
New Ziana
