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.
Makaza initially claimed that intruders had broken into their home, shot her husband, and stolen about US$12,000 from a wardrobe. However, investigators found no signs of forced entry, and her story quickly unraveled.
Justice Muchawa said Makaza’s real intention after the shooting was to destroy evidence. “She went alone, presumably to lodge a report, but, as confessed, her priority was to dispose of the firearm and related items, including the gloves which she had worn when shooting the deceased.”
Police later recovered the revolver and gloves based on information Makaza provided after her arrest. Forensic tests confirmed that the bullets extracted from Mapanga’s body matched the recovered firearm.
A post-mortem revealed that Mapanga died from traumatic shock, lung and liver ruptures, and multiple gunshot wounds.
After being initially charged, Makaza was granted bail but fled to the United Kingdom, where she remained for several years. She was re-arrested upon returning to Zimbabwe in December 2024.
In her defence, Makaza claimed years of emotional and physical abuse by her husband, citing repeated assaults and psychological trauma. However, the court ruled that the evidence clearly showed premeditation and intent, dismissing her claims as unconvincing.
Justice Muchawa described the killing as a “deliberate and callous act,” sentencing Makaza to 27 years behind bars, a punishment reflecting both the gravity of the crime and the betrayal of trust within the marriage.
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