By A Correspondent- Tapiwa Makore Senior, who was arrested last September in Murehwa on accusations of killing his Seven-year-old nephew and namesake Tapiwa Jnr, was Thursday denied bail pending trial by the High Court.

The judgement was delivered by High Court judge Justice Mhuri, who said that there is a probability that Makore would try to escape the consequences of his crimes which are likely to be serious.

“Applicant is facing a murder charge of a juvenile aged 7 … murder by its nature is a very serious offense which invariably calls for a very severe penalty, and as submitted by respondent may attract a death penalty, life imprisonment or a very long definite prison term. This will induce the applicant to abscond,” Justice Mhuri said

Justice Mhuri had further decreed that granting Makore bail would not be welcomed by the public and it would make people lose confidence in the courts and judicial system.

“…it is my considered view that it will not be in the best interest of justice to grant the applicant bail. Granting applicant bail will lead the public to lose confidence in the criminal justice system. I am persuaded that there are compelling reasons not to grant the applicant the liberty he is seeking pending his trial. To that end therefore, I will not grant the indulgence he is seeking. It is, in the result, ordered that the application for bail pending trial be and is hereby dismissed,” the judge said.

Makore, was arrested and jailed last year together with his twin brother Thanks, their sister-in-law, Maud Hunidzarira and a herdsman by the name of Tafadzwa Shambawere. They were accused of abducting the boy while he was attending to the family’s vegetable garden on Sept 17.

After his arrest, Shamba confessed to the police that he kidnapped, drugged, and mutilated the boy so he could sell his body parts to a witch doctor for $1,500 (U.S.).

The four were remanded in prison by Harare Magistrate and were advised to file for bail at the High Court.

Thanks and Hunidzarira were granted bail application by the High Court in December last year and Tapiwa senior also approached the court with the application of his own arguing that there was no real risk he would abscond as he has a family and is of fixed abode and wanted to be treated the same with co accused persons.