Harare nurse Bridget Makaza has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for the murder of her husband, Macloud Zvavovaviri Mapanga, a Kurai Bus company owner, whom she shot three times while he slept in their Strathaven home in 2018.
Makaza was found guilty last week by High Court judge Justice Emelia Muchawa. She used a 38 Amadeo Rossi revolver, with erased serial numbers, to shoot Mapanga once in the right shoulder, once above the left shoulder, and a third time grazing the neck before penetrating the right shoulder.
After the killing, Makaza tried to cover up the crime, claiming armed intruders had entered their home, shot her husband, and stolen US$12,000 from their wardrobe.
She later disposed of the gun and latex gloves she had worn in a swampy area before reporting the supposed robbery at Mabelreign Police Station.
Police investigations quickly exposed her story as false. There were no signs of forced entry, and ballistic analysis confirmed that the bullets came from the firearm she had tried to hide. The revolver and gloves were recovered following her own directions.
Court records revealed that Makaza had purchased the gun in South Africa on 2 May 2018. She had initially been granted bail but fled to the United Kingdom, only to be re-arrested when she returned in December 2024.
A post-mortem showed that Mapanga died from traumatic shock, lung and liver rupture, and gunshot injuries.
In her defence, Makaza claimed she had suffered years of emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her husband, including repeated assaults, forced intimacy, infidelity, and psychological trauma.
She argued that a violent confrontation, in which Mapanga accused her of witchcraft and threatened her life, led to a struggle over the firearm and that the shots were accidentally discharged. She also denied purchasing the gun herself and claimed her confession had been obtained under duress.
Justice Muchawa, however, ruled that the evidence overwhelmingly indicated a premeditated killing, leaving no doubt about Makaza’s guilt. She said:
“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.
“She conveniently flew into South Africa and used the road back to smuggle the murder weapon into Zimbabwe.
“She then waited for a convenient time. It fell on May 14, 2018, and around 3am, when the deceased, who had returned from work around 11pm, was fast asleep.
“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.”
The judge noted that the accused seriously injured the deceased, offered no assistance, failed to call an ambulance, and instead fled to dispose of the firearm and other related items, including the gloves she had worn during the shooting. Said Justice Muchawa:
“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).”
