What began as a fairy-tale marriage ended in tragedy after a Zimbabwean woman, once admired for her beauty and grace, turned her home into a murder scene on a cold night in 2018.
41-year-old Bridget Makaza has been sentenced to 27 years in prison after being found guilty of brutally murdering her wealthy husband, MaCloud Zvavovaviri Mapanga, the owner of Kurai Coaches.
Investigations revealed that Makaza waited until her husband had fallen asleep before pulling the trigger of a .38 revolver, firing three fatal shots. Two bullets struck his neck and shoulder, while the third tore through his body.
Moments after the killing, she reportedly screamed “thief! thief!” — pretending that robbers had broken into their home to disguise the murder.
Detectives later discovered that the firearm had been smuggled from South Africa just days before the incident, confirming that the act was carefully planned.
To make her story appear convincing, Makaza allegedly threw the gun and gloves into a nearby swamp before rushing to report a fake robbery to the police.
However, her plan quickly unraveled. Forensic experts found no signs of forced entry, and ballistic tests confirmed that the bullets matched the revolver she had dumped.
Cornered by evidence, Makaza confessed but later claimed the shooting happened during a fight after her husband accused her of witchcraft.
Justice Emelia Muchawa, presiding over the High Court, dismissed her defense, describing the murder as “a calculated act driven by jealousy and deceit.”
In a dramatic twist, Makaza fled to the United Kingdom while on bail and lived there quietly for six years. But her past caught up with her in 2024 when she returned to Zimbabwe, leading to her arrest and sentencing.
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