EFFORTS to escape murder charges by prime suspect, Tafadzwa Shamba, in the ongoing murder trial of Tapiwa Makore hit a snag after the High Court ruled the indications he made were voluntary and admissible as State evidence.
Shamba had told court that he made indications under duress on how he killed Tapiwa, adding the police had crafted the narration to suit what they wanted.
However, when the trial continued Monday, High Court Judge, Justice Munamato Mutevedzi ruled it was clear that Shamba was not forced into giving his account of events.
The judge said the police had acted professionally and how they executed their intelligence made Shamba to admit and make indications on how he murdered Tapiwa from Murehwa back in 2020.
Tapiwa’s torso was found in Nyamutumbu village the following morning after he went missing.
His two uncles, Tapiwa Makore Snr, Thanks Makore, Shamba and another female relative were charged with the gruesome murder following investigations.
It is believed Tapiwa Jnr, was murdered for ritual purposes and his torso was buried a year later without its head.
The whereabouts of his head remain a mystery.
On Monday, the deceased’s uncle and namesake had also distanced himself from his earlier confessions arguing that he was wrongly implicated.
But the judge dismissed his arguments ruling that Shamba’s indications as well as his confessions would be admitted as evidence.
“He (Shamba) gave indications under the beliefs that the second accused wanted him to go to prison so that he could enjoy the benefits of the cabbage deals they intended to benefit from after killing the minor for rituals.
“It is the court’s view that his story is preposterous, he wanted to show the court that his indications were rehearsed, but positive results came out from the confessions as it led to the recovery of the body parts. If it was rehearsed the police would not have recovered the body parts,” ruled the judge.
The judge added, “His explanation that he wanted to exonerate himself by incriminating the second accused does not make sense.
“Thinking he was exonerating himself by confessing is stupidity in the highest order, the daftness he tried to show in court was not believable.”
Trial continues Tuesday.