Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili [email protected]
CHIEF Justice Luke Malaba has raised the alarm over the increasing number of murder cases in the Midlands province, calling for swift measures to address delays in justice delivery.
Speaking during the opening of the 2025 legal year, Justice Malaba urged the resuscitation of fast-track courts across the country to expedite the handling of serious criminal cases, including murders.
“The delays in delivering justice undermine public confidence in the judicial system,” he said. “Fast-track courts are essential to ensure that justice is not only done but seen to be done.”
The National Prosecution Authority (NPA) reports that the Midlands province has the highest number of murder cases nationwide, with 90 percent involving lethal weapons.
Several high-profile murder cases in the region over the past three years underscore the urgency of the Chief Justice’s call.
In 2024, Officer Mitch Tafirenyika was charged with murder after fatally shooting a suspect during an operation in Gweru. He appeared before a Gweru magistrate and is awaiting sentencing.
Courage Hwami (34) In December 2023, was sentenced to life imprisonment for fatally stabbing a 19-year-old at Vhudzijena Night Club in Mkoba 16 Business Centre, Gweru. He also received an additional 10-year sentence for attempting to kill another individual during the same incident.
In February 2024, Tawanda Chinyati (20) from Shurugwi was sentenced to 15 years in prison for killing his cousin during an argument over sharing food. The altercation escalated, leading Chinyati to stab his cousin fatally.
Trust Khaki in 2021 was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder and sexual assault of his 15-month-old daughter in Mvuma. The crime was discovered when the child’s mother returned home to find her daughter unresponsive with visible injuries.
In 2024, Emmanuel Nyaku was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of police officer Douglas Ngwenya during a confrontation at Puzzar Dollar Night Club in Gokwe. The altercation began over a dispute involving a woman, leading to Nyaku fatally stabbing Ngwenya.
Online Reporter