Murderers Tafadzwa Shamba and Tapiwa Makore (Snr), who were convicted of killing seven-year-old Tapiwa Makore (Jnr) for ritual purposes in 2020, have had their death sentences substituted with life imprisonment by the Supreme Court.

The two killed Tapiwa, namesake and nephew of the second offender and dismembered his body in a murder that shook the nation.

Tapiwa went missing on the afternoon of 17 September 2020, and his torso was later found being mauled by dogs at a fellow villager's homestead. Some of his remains were discovered shoved in a disused pit latrine.

His torso was buried a year after the chilling murder and his head was never recovered.

Shamba, a herdboy and Makore were convicted in 2023 after a full trial.

They had an automatic right of appeal to the Supreme Court, but this was overtaken by events as the death penalty was abolished in Zimbabwe before their appeal could be confirmed.

"Following their conviction for murder in 2023, Shamba and Makore had an automatic right of appeal to the Supreme Court.

"Before the appeal could be heard, the death penalty was abolished in Zimbabwe, hence the Supreme Court could not confirm the sentence handed down by the High Court," the prosecution said.