BRENNA MATENDERE
THE Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has moved to finalise an unresolved politically motivated murder case involving an opposition supporter slain in Kwekwe in 2019 allegedly by Zanu PF youths.
Joseph Kadozo, 21, was allegedly abducted and tortured to death by ruling Zanu PF supporters Kevin Bhebhe and Tawanda Madondo on 29 August 2019.
The matter was reported at Garandichauya police station and investigated under CR number Mbizo 148/8/19.
The Zanu PF youths were arrested initially and taken to the Kwekwe magistrates’ court under CRB KK1254/19, after which they were referred to the High Court in Bulawayo where they were granted bail.
Since then, the matter appeared to have fizzled out as the accused stayed in the community for more than five years leading to public outcry.
The NewsHawks then early this year published a story in which former Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya expressed concern over the unresolved matter.
However in the latest development, this publication has since established that the suspects, Bhebhe and Madondo have now been indicted and placed at Kwekwe remand prison awaiting trial.
A notice in terms of subsection (3) of section 229 of the criminal procedure and evidence act /chapter 9:07/ as read with subrule (12) of rule 87 of the high court rules has also been given to the father of the deceased, Antony Kadozo who has been invited to testify at Gokwe High Court on 12 May when the trial begins.
Part of the notice to Kadozo signed by clerk to the prosecutor general Kuda Marahwa dated 2 April 2025 seen by Newshub reads: “You are hereby commanded that you be and appear personally before theZjudge at the session of the High Court of Zimbabwe to be held at Gokwe and commencinig on the 12th day of May 2025 at ten o’clock in the morning to testify all those things which you know concerning an indictment then and there to be preferred against: 1. Tawanda Madondo 2. Kelvin Bhebhe charged with the crime of: Murder and this you shall by no means fail to do, upon failing you shall be liable to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one month.”
Former Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya told Newshub that the indictment of the murder suspects is a welcome development.
“The arrest and indictment of the suspects in the murder case of deceased Joseph Kadozo is a welcome development for both the community and most importantly the Kadozo family. We all expect justice to be delivered at last and the family to be consoled by a fair and befitting judgement,” he said.
Chikwinya bemoaned the long time it has taken for the wheels of justice to turn on the two accused.
“Justice must not only be done but must be seen to done, the time taken to bring the suspects to trial was begining to erode the community and family’s trust in Zimbabwe’s legal systems,” he said.
While the case of Kadozo has been set down, the 27 February 2022 murder of CCC activist Mboneni Ncube at a CCC rally remains unresolved, with five suspects (Edmore Shoshera, Albert Maketo, Talent Imbayago, Panashe Mukavaza, and Percy Mukwaturi) still awaiting trial after being granted bail in April 2022.
Initially, 16 suspects were arrested for Ncube’s murder.
Ncube was fatally stabbed with a spear by Zanu PF supporters at an ill-fated CCC rally addressed by then party leader, Nelson Chamisa, in Kwekwe.
Two years after the callous attack, the activist’s sister, Judith Ncube lamented perceived reluctance by Zimbabwean authorities to bring the culprits to justice, alleging that her family endured torment from her brother’s suspected killers.
Gweru Chief Law Officer, Samuel Pedzisayi, in February told this publication that matters that take long to be indicted would have lacked adequate investigations from police to produce strong evidence against the accused persons to warrant prosecution.
