RITUAL killers – Tafadzwa Shamba and Tapiwa Makore Snr – have been convicted by the High Court for the 2020 murder of Tapiwa Makore Jnr in a landmark case whose judgment was broadcast live on television.
This comes after the State proved beyond reasonable doubt
that Shamba and Makore drugged, killed and mutilated the then seven-year-old
boy for ritual purposes to boost the latter’s cabbage business in Murehwa.
The two were found guilty after a lengthy judgment handed
down by Justice Munamato Mutevedzi, who ruled that the murder was premeditated.
Shamba was convicted of masterminding the murder while Makore
is guilty for being an accomplice to the killing.
Their lawyers have been ordered to file mitigation on their
behalf by close of day on July 6th to which the State will also respond before
the court commits a sentence to the two.
Justice Mutevedzi is expected to sentence the duo on July
12.
“Tafadzwa Shamba is guilty beyond reasonable doubt as
required by the law.
“In the circumstances it is ordered that Shamba be and is
hereby found guilty of the murder of Tapiwa Makore as charged.
“Tapiwa Makore Snr is also found guilty for the murder of
the deceased as an accomplice,” ruled Justice Mutevedzi.
Jusstice Mutevedzi said Shamba’s recorded statements
qualified as a confession after they corroborated with his voluntary
indications.
During the trial, Makore argued that Shamba’s confession
was not supposed to be admitted as evidence against him claiming he was merely
a spectator.
The State proved that Makore acted as an accomplice by
providing a safe house where the boy was kept on the fateful day.
It was also not disputed that the boy was murdered for ritual
purposes, that Makore Snr told a witness to bury one of the body parts before
people saw it and that blood-stained clothes and the illicit beer used on the
day were found at Shamba and Makore’s houses.
Tapiwa Makore Jnr went missing on September 17, 2020 around
3pm, the State proved that the boy was drugged using an illicit brew and was
kept in a safe house until midnight.
He was killed later that night.
His dismembered body parts were found the following morning
while his torso was found being mauled by dogs a kilometre away from his
parents’ homestead.
Other body parts were recovered from a disused pit latrine
after Shamba led police during indications.
Shamba and Makore were supposed to earn US$1 500 from the
ritual killing.
Tapiwa’s torso was buried in 2021 and his head is still
missing.
The boy’s mother, Linda Munyori, says the memories of the
horror still haunt her and is relieved that the court has found out that the
boy’s uncle had a hand in his demise.
“I am now relieved after the court found them guilty for
killing my only son, it’s been the worst three years of my life and to think
that Tapiwa Makore was denying everything still hurts.
“I pray that they get the punishment they deserve,” said
Munyori. H Metro
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