A Zimbabwean woman, Bridget Makaza, has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for the premeditated murder of her husband, businessman MaCloud Zvavovaviri Mapanga, founder of Kurai Coaches.
The High Court ruled that the 2018 killing was a calculated act rather than a crime of passion, describing it as a cold and deliberate execution carried out in the couple’s home.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Emilia Muchawa said the evidence left no doubt that Makaza planned her husband’s death.
“Our findings are that the accused person planned to execute the deceased,” Justice Muchawa said. “To set this in motion, she travelled to South Africa, soon after her return from the United Kingdom, to procure the murder weapon.”
The court heard that Makaza took advantage of her international travel to source and smuggle a firearm into Zimbabwe.
“She conveniently flew into South Africa and used the road back to smuggle the murder weapon into Zimbabwe,” the judge noted.
The weapon, a 38 Amadeo Rossi revolver with its serial numbers erased, was later used to carry out the fatal attack.
The murder occurred in the early hours of May 14, 2018. According to the court’s findings, Mapanga had returned home late from work and was asleep when Makaza shot him three times, once in the right shoulder, once above the left shoulder, and once grazing the neck before penetrating the right shoulder.
Justice Muchawa said Makaza then staged a fake robbery to conceal her crime.
“To cover up her crime, she staged an unlawful entry and robbery. She shouted, ‘thief, thief’ (mbavha, mbavha).
She left the deceased seriously injured, without rendering any assistance or calling the ambulance and slipped away in the ensuing confusion,” the judge said.
