By Staff Reporter
TAPIWA Makore senior and Tafadzwa Shamba have been found guilty by High Court judge Justice Munamato Mutevedzi for the brutal ritual murder of young Tapiwa Makore junior, a boy from Murehwa.
The boy’s body was gruesomely dismembered in murder which took place in September 2020.
His torso was discovered the following morning, mauled by dogs, while his other body parts were found in a latrine and it was finally buried a year later, with the head still missing.
Both defendants denied the allegations during the trial, although Shamba eventually confessed and provided detailed information about the murder.
Based on the evidence presented, the judge concluded that Shamba was responsible for killing the boy, while Makore senior actively assisted him in the crime.
“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,” said the judge.
Mutevedzi ruled that the two committed the crime.
“The court is satisfied that the statement by Shamba was acceptable and confirms that he committed the offence.”
He said the way Shamba explained how he sat on the boy, beheading him before cutting off his body parts and packing them shows that murder was committed.
“He explained it in graphic detail. That detail elaborates his intimate details regarding commission of the crime,” said the judge.
“The first accused (Shamba’s) situation is compounded by other issues.
“He did not only confess, he made indications, he pointed to a house where the boy was detained, the container which was containing the illicit brew was also found in the same house.., ” said the judge further stating that this proves that he was involved in the crime.
He said everything he said corroborates well with the police findings acting on his confession.
“Accused one (Shamba’s) fate is sealed by the fact that body parts were found through his confession,”said the judge.
In his disposition on Makore Snr the judge said a statement by Shamba confession cannot incriminate him.
He said for one to be said he committed an offence his hand should be seen in the crime
Mutevedzi said Makore’s hand is not clearly seen however noting that he is embroiled in the participation in many ways.
“The victim was detained in his house. He supplied alcohol which was used to drug the victim. The judge said Makore Snr did not dispute these allegations.
“The question which arises is if he supplied means for Shamba to commit this offence. The child was locked in his house for long hours, in fact for around 8 hrs. It is unimaginable that he wouldn’t have noticed the presence of the boy in his house,” said the judge.
The two now await sentencing on July 12.
