LIVE-BLAST: 
ZimEye brings our valued readers and contributors live updates from the Norbert Chikerema murder case in Birmingham, UK.

Mr Chikerema, the sole suspect in his wife Gillian Zvomuya’s murder case after her lifeless body was discovered at a Lidl supermarket last week Monday was scheduled for court today.

There was a bit of confusion at first with people wondering at which stage of the court process today’s hearing was… It was later revealed however that it is the initial hearing despite Chikerema appearing for the second time in 3 working days.  The case was last Thursday lifted from magistrates court level up to the Crown Court. Just a little explanation on the distinctions: magistrates courts are for minor cases such as traffic offences, and Crown Courts are for crimes of the higher severity, so the case could have been somewhat mis-allocated when it was listed at the magistrates court last Thursday.

Now today, a large crowd thronged the Birmingham Crown Court in the morning baying to see Mr Chikerema and hear more on the case, but more-so to hear what Mr Chikerema’s pleading is.

Chikerema however did not turn up due to an arrangement for him to speak in camera from prison, a court clerk explained to us saying.

More disappointment came however when it further emerged the video link system was not working. There was thus no pleading today.

The case is now to be heard on the 20th March and the final trial will be on the 31st July.

Last week the deceased’s family described Gillian as a decent, loving mother of four children, two boys and two girls. She was a caring and hardworking woman who always strived to keep her family happy.

“She will be missed by her family and all those who knew her. We hope that for her sake justice will prevail and closure can be brought to this unprecedented chapter.”

Meanwhile we would like to once again correct false and defamatory statements made by a few relatives under politician Mr Jaison Matewu’s guide in which they claimed that a ZimEye journo arrived at the family’s funeral wake last week uninvited and to allegedly spy on their conversations. These statements are unfortunate. The man behind these claims Mr Jaison Matewu since Tuesday last week has still not telephoned to explain himself. We hereby re-state what was clearly witnessed worldwide when ZimEye received requests by the family to visit the family home so as to give them a voice. We had neither gain nor interest in visiting them apart from honouring their request especially at this difficult time and as we always do, to serve the community, we honoured that request only to be harassed under the MDC politician’s hand.