Thanks Makore (56) who is facing charges of masterminding the murder of his seven-year-old nephew, Tapiwa Makore, approached the High Court seeking bail.
The bail appeal was heard by Justice Tawanda Chitapi who reserved the ruling to November 24.
Police arrested Mr Makore last week and they believe he is the mastermind behind Tapiwa’s murder that occurred in September in Murewa. Investigating Officer (IO) told the High Court that Thanks Makore commissioned his twin brother Tapiwa Makore Snr and Tafadzwa Shamba to commit the heinous crime.
The accused is the one who employed or gave the contract to these two accused or his accomplices. He promised to pay them US$1 500 to his accomplices who killed Tapiwa Makore.
After the commission of the offence, the accused is said to have received the head and the arms of the deceased,” the IO told the court.
In opposing bail it was the state’s argument that police are yet to conclude their investigations and if Mr Makore was to be freed he might interfere with witnesses, and that he might seek assistance to skip bail from his employer, the American Embassy.
The applicant is likely to interfere with witnesses if granted bail. So far, we are done at Damofalls where his first wife resides. We are left with Warren Park where his second wife resides,” the police officer told the court.
We are still doing investigations and we are yet to finish searching. One of the main witnesses is related to the applicant. In fact, he is the son of the applicant’s young brother so the accused might interfere with the witness. American Embassy employs the applicant, so if granted bail he might seek transfer and relocate from Zimbabwe and abscond.
The IO argued that considering the nature of the offence Thanks Makore is facing that carries a capital sentence upon conviction, he would abscond if granted bail. Another issue the IO raised was that Thanks Makore had a target on his back and if released his safety would be compromised.
Another issue is when we were carrying out searches at his Damofalls residence, there was a mob who were looking for the applicant. In fact, they were throwing stones at his house so if granted bail he might be attacked by the mob.
Makore said he wanted to be released on bail so he can continue taking care of his family and raise legal fees for the murder trial.
Makore’s lawyer questioned how the police arrived at the conclusion that his client was the mastermind of the murder when it took them two months after the crime had been committed to arrest him.
