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Court Reporter
THE third term of the Bulawayo High Court opens on Monday with 23 cases, all of them murder set down for hearing.
According to the Criminal Cause List, the third term runs up to 29 November with the partly heard matter of renowned black empowerment activist Sonny Kuzomunhu Chasi who is facing charges of murder and rape being the high profile case.
Chasi (72), of Number 37 Sturton Drive, Glenvale, Richmond is charged with the murder of his life Dorcas Majola (41) soon after his release from prison for another case.

He had served seven years for fraud and when he was released he found his wife pregnant upon which he allegedly assaulted her with an unknown object resulting in her death.

Chasi was demanding to know who was responsible for the pregnancy.
He is also facing six counts of raping his 12-year-old daughter in 2008.

A Kezi man, Vincent Dube from Ratanyana who allegedly struck his wife twice on the head with an axe leading to her death 12 years ago, will also go for trial.

Dube suspected that his wife, Memory Nobukhosi Ndlovu, who was aged 19 was having an affair with a local teacher, Mr David Nunu.
He evaded police arrest for 12 years after allegedly killing his wife in 2001 and was only arrested early this year.

Also to be heard among other cases, is that of Thinandava Kwinda Muleya of Beitbridge who allegedly shot his wife and mother-in-law to death in December last year.

The Supreme Court would also hear criminal appeals on Monday up to Friday and then between 25 and 29 November.
There are also 40 criminal appeals to be heard by the Supreme Court during the course of the third term.

Meanwhile, the Electoral Court is also likely to hear petitions by Professor Jonathan Moyo and Mr Lovemore Moyo who are seeking nullification of the 31 July harmonised election results in their respective constituencies.

Their petitions have not been set down for hearing.
Prof Moyo lost the Tsholotsho North seat to MDC-T’s Mrs Roseline Sipepa Nkomo by more than 200 votes but lodged a complaint to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission seeking a recount, citing irregularities in the way counting was conducted.

The decision for a recount was set aside by Justice Lawrence Kamocha and Prof Moyo, through his lawyer, Mr Job Sibanda of Job Sibanda and Associates filed a petition at the Electoral Court in Bulawayo seeking a nullification of the election and an order for a re-run.

Former Speaker of Parliament Mr Moyo lost the Matobo North seat to Cde Never Khanye of Zanu-PF and argued that his election agents were refused entry into a number of polling stations, raising a possibility of him being prejudiced of votes.