Harare Woman Bridget Makaza Found guilty for Murdering Husband in cold blood

Bridget Makaza jailed for husband's cold-blooded murder

By Dumisani Ndlovu

Harare, Zimbabwe – Bridget Makaza, a Harare woman, has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for the calculated murder of her husband, MaCloud Zvavovavaviri Mapanga, proprietor of Kurai Coaches. The High Court found Makaza guilty of the premeditated killing, which occurred in the early hours of May 14, 2018, at the couple's Belvedere home.

The court heard a chilling account of how Makaza fatally shot Mapanga three times with a .38 Amadeo Rossi revolver while he was asleep. One bullet struck his right shoulder, another above his left shoulder, and a third grazed his neck before penetrating his right shoulder. Following the brutal act, Makaza embarked on an elaborate cover-up. She staged a scene to suggest an armed robbery, claiming intruders had shot her husband and stolen US$12,000 from their wardrobe. In a desperate attempt to conceal her crime, she drove to a swampy area to dispose of the firearm and the latex gloves she had worn during the shooting, before reporting the fabricated robbery at Mabelreign Police Station.

However, police investigations swiftly exposed the cracks in her story. Crucially, no signs of forced entry were found at the residence. Forensic ballistic analysis later confirmed that the projectiles recovered from Mapanga’s body had been fired from the very same revolver Makaza had attempted to hide. The weapon and gloves were subsequently recovered based on her own "indications" to the police. Further evidence emerged detailing Makaza's trip to South Africa on May 2, 2018, where she procured the murder weapon, highlighting the calculated planning behind the crime. After being granted bail, Makaza fled to the United Kingdom, only to be re-arrested upon her return in December 2024. A post-mortem examination conclusively determined Mapanga died from traumatic shock, lung and liver rupture, and shotgun injuries.

In her defence, Makaza alleged a history of severe emotional and physical abuse by her husband, including repeated assaults, forced intimacy, and psychological trauma. She claimed the shooting occurred during a violent confrontation where Mapanga accused her of witchcraft and threatened her life, leading to a struggle over the firearm during which the shots were accidentally discharged. She also dismissed her confession as having been extracted under duress.

High Court Judge Justice Emilia Muchawa, however, dismissed Makaza’s defence, stating that the evidence overwhelmingly pointed to a premeditated offence. “Our findings are that the accused person planned to execute the deceased. To set this in motion, she travelled to South Africa soon after her return from the United Kingdom to procure the murder weapon,” Justice Muchawa declared. The judge further elaborated on Makaza's actions: "She aimed at the upper part of his body and delivered three fatal shots to the shoulders and neck. To cover up her crime, she staged an unlawful entry and robbery." Justice Muchawa concluded, “The conduct of the accused before, during and after the murder led us to unequivocally conclude that the accused unlawfully and with intent to kill shot MaCloud Zvavovaviri (Mapanga).