The two men convicted of murdering Tapiwa Makore, a seven-year-old boy from Murewa, in September 2020, allegedly for ritual purposes, have been resentenced following the abolition of the death penalty.
The High Court of Zimbabwe, led by Justice Munamato Mutevedzi, found Tafadzwa Shamba and Tapiwa Makore Snr guilty in June 2023.
Shamba, a herdsman, confessed to drugging, killing, and dismembering the child, while Makore Snr, the victim’s uncle, was convicted as an accomplice, having detained the boy in his home for hours before the murder.
The pair were sentenced to death on 12 July 2023, but on 12 May 2025, the Supreme Court replaced their sentences with life imprisonment following the abolition of capital punishment.
The victim, Tapiwa Makore (Junior), shared his name with the second offender, his uncle. The crime was uncovered after he went missing on 17 September 2020. Despite a search by his parents and villagers, their efforts proved unsuccessful.
His mutilated body, with the head, hands, and legs cleanly severed, was found at a villager’s home, being dragged by dogs.
Further remains, including severed limbs, were later discovered in various locations, such as a disused pit latrine.
After their conviction in 2023, Shamba and Makore had an automatic right to appeal to the Supreme Court.
However, before the appeal could be heard, the death penalty was abolished, preventing the Court from confirming their original sentence.
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