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Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Court Reporter
THE High Court will open today for the third term with 23 murder cases lined up for trial in Bulawayo including that of a man who allegedly knifed his family’s maid 10 times for turning down his sexual advances.

Vincent Tinashe Chikoore (42) of Gwabalanda suburb in Bulawayo allegedly asked a maid, Ms Dudzai Hungwe, to have sex with him when his mother  was away.

When the woman refused, Chikoore got angry and a scuffle ensued between the two resulting in the accused allegedly stabbing the now deceased 10 times using a kitchen knife.

Ms Hungwe was stabbed four times in the chest, once on the abdomen, twice on the arm, once in the back of the head and twice on the left palm leading to her death.

The High Court is expected to also hear the case of a neighbourhood watch committee member  from Kezi who allegedly handcuffed his neighbour to a tree before fatally assaulting him with an iron rod.

Isaac Ndlovu allegedly caught the now deceased having sex with his wife in their matrimonial bedroom.

The case of two brothers from Tsholotsho, who teamed up with a friend and killed their neighbour in a revenge attack after he and his friend assaulted a rival suitor, has also been set for trial.

Felix Maphosa, Similo Ncube and his brother Bulisani ganged up and allegedly brutally attacked Tinos Ncube of Filisi village with axes,                    spears and knives and dumped the body near Mathe Dam.

According to a recent police report, most of the murder cases in the country are being fuelled by trivial misunderstandings such as beer, girlfriends and domestic disputes.

Records show that knives machetes, axes and knobkerries are some of the common weapons used in committing the crimes while some of the homicidal perpetrators have used bare hands.

National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said there is a need for awareness campaigns and monitoring of home tools such as axes and machetes in order to reduce murder cases. — @mashnets