THE High Court opens on Monday for the 2023 legal year with 24 murder cases lined up for trial in Bulawayo, including a man from Mangwe District who callously killed his elderly parents before torching their village mansion with a petrol bomb.
Lisani Marcellus Nleya (46) made headlines in 2020 when he allegedly killed his father Nicholas Cain Nleya (83) and mother Margret Nleya (78) who were both retired teachers and prominent villagers in grisly circumstances on September 1, 2020.
The High Court is expected to also hear the case of five police officers from Bulawayo who allegedly assaulted a man from Ntabazinduna to death for an undisclosed offence during a raid.
It is alleged that the five police officers took turns to indiscriminately assault the victim in March 2021.
The accused are Herbert Kanyiyi (40) of Nkulumane Police Camp, Barnwell Mahachi (31), Amigo Shumba (32), Norge Rapayi (28) all of Fairbridge Police Camp, and Mbekezeli Bhebhe (47) with the Bulawayo Police Homicide section.
A total of 12 State witnesses will give their evidence in court when the trial kicks off on Tuesday next week.
Another high-profile case, which kicks off next Thursday is a matter involving an ex-top police detective Refias Masuna who fatally shot a mine worker in a fight over the ownership of a gold mine in Fort Rixon in Insiza District, Matabeleland South.
Masuna killed Ernest Mudenda (31) at Zulu 8 Mine Pioneer in Fort Rixon on December 12, 2014, and was in August 2016 sentenced to life imprisonment by former High Court judge Justice Francis Bere.
The man, Norman Chikoka, died after being admitted at Karoi Hospital and police have since arrested the suspect, Bonwell Mereki (24).
Masuna successfully lodged an appeal at the Supreme Court and the matter was remitted back to the High Court for trial de novo.
The trial of Ginger Vhiyano, Jephat Chaganda, Tyson Ruvando and Sidingumuzi Ncube who allegedly connived and stole 28kg of gold worth about US$1 million which was kept at Plumtree Police Station as an exhibit, will also resume on January 24.
The gold was stolen from the armoury through an act of unlawful entry. It was later intercepted by police at One-Stop Shop leading to the arrest of Chaganda and later his accomplices.
Detectives from the Minerals and Border Control Unit arrested Chaganda while trying to smuggle the gold through the Plumtree Border Post into Botswana.
The High Court will also hear the matter of Clifford Phiri who assaulted his 20-year-old wife to death with sticks after accusing her of infidelity and dumping the body in a disused well.
The incident occurred on September 8, 2021 at Woodcroft Farm, Nyamandlovu. The body of the victim was retrieved from the well the following day by the police.
The High Court will also hear 30 criminal appeals during the course of the term.
Events to mark the official opening of the 2023 legal year will be held simultaneously at all High Court stations in Harare, Bulawayo, Masvingo, Mutare and Chinhoyi.
Chief Justice Malaba is expected to deliver the State of Judiciary Address at the Constitutional Court Building in Harare.
Deputy Chief Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza will lead the proceedings at the Bulawayo High Court.
Constitutional Court judges Justice Rita Makarau and Paddington Garwe will officiate at the events in Masvingo and Mutare respectively. Judge President, Justice Maria Zimba-Dube will lead the proceedings in Chinhoyi. – The Chronicle
