High Court judge Justice Emelia Muchawa has sentenced Harare nurse Bridget Makaza to 27 years in prison for the cold-blooded murder of her husband, Kurai Bus company owner Macloud Zvavovaviri Mapanga, whom she shot three times as he slept in their Strathaven home in 2018.
Makaza was last week convicted of what the court described as a "calculated act of vengeance fuelled by jealousy, polygamy and deceit." Justice Muchawa said Makaza executed her husband and then staged a fake robbery to conceal the crime.
"The accused unlawfully and with intent to kill, executed her husband while he slept," ruled Justice Muchawa. "She aimed at the upper part of his body and delivered three fatal shots, then staged an armed robbery to cover her tracks."
When handing down the sentence, the judge said:
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
"Whereupon, after reading documents filed of record and hearing counsel, it is ordered that the offender who was found guilty of murder as defined in section 47 (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] is hereby sentenced to 27 (twenty-seven) years' imprisonment."
The court heard Makaza used a .38 Amadeo Rossi revolver with an erased serial number, smuggled from South Africa under the pretext of buying medication. After killing her husband, she screamed "Thief! Thief!" and falsely claimed robbers had stolen US$12,000.
Prosecutor B. Murevanhema said, "There were no robbers. There was no break-in. The story was a fabrication to mask premeditated murder."
Police investigations confirmed there were no signs of forced entry. The firearm and gloves were later recovered from a swamp in Belvedere after Makaza led detectives to the spot.
Makaza fled to South Africa after being granted bail and was re-arrested in December 2024 upon returning to Zimbabwe, claiming she "missed her children."
During the trial, she claimed self-defence, alleging her husband tried to attack her, but the judge dismissed this as a "lame and incredible fabrication." Forensic expert Admire Mutizwa testified that the revolver required deliberate trigger pressure and could not have discharged accidentally.
Justice Muchawa concluded that Makaza procured the weapon, waited for her husband to sleep, and executed him in cold blood.
"She was methodical," the judge said. "Her conduct before, during, and after the murder shows beyond doubt that this was a planned execution."
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
