Norton man (43) accused of murdering girlfriend appears in court

MELULEKI NCUBE — THE NORTON TIMES*

NORTON – On Monday afternoon, murder-accused Victor Seremwe appeared before Norton magistrate Christina Nyandoro for the first time since his arrest in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Murder-accused Victor Seremwe arrives at Norton Magistrate's Court on Monday. Seremwe was apprehended by ZRP patrol officers in the early hours of Sunday whilst on his way to try and dispose the body of his girlfriend at the train tracks.

Seremwe (43) stands accused of murdering his girlfriend. Prosecutor Flossy Chigudu represented the State.

The court heard that he allegedly assaulted the late with fists on the head, resulting in her death. According to statements before the court, the incident happened Saturday 23 March 2024 at House No. K3081, Katanga in Norton. 

Issues of infidelity were cited as the cause of disagreement, which eventually led to the assault and consequently, death.

Earlier, the gallery had been cleared as per procedure so that the court could hold a confirmation hearing of Seremwe’s statement given to the police. 

Upon return to open gallery, Seremwe notified the court that he had a legal representative, but consented to going ahead with the initial remand hearing in the lawyer’s absence.

The State opposed bail on the grounds of jurisdiction. Magistrate Nyandoro remanded Seremwe in custody to 9 April 2024, advising him to seek bail at the High Court as the inferior court had no bail jurisdiction on offences like the one he was facing. 

Meanwhile, members of the public who spoke to The Norton Times at Norton Magistrates’ Courts commended the police for a job well-done following the speed at which this particular case was brought to justice.

Members of the ZRP arrested Seremwe a few minutes after the commission of the offence, thanks to the presence of a patrol team around the area at that moment.

At a time when Norton is trending with unsolved criminal cases including murders and robberies, the public has argued that a lack of police patrols is leaving the town at the mercy of perpetrators. 

The fact that this particular case was picked by a police patrol team means such patrols are effective, if implemented.

*The Zimbabwe Sphere is engaged in a content partnership with The Norton Times. 

In our thrust to tell the stories that matter to every Zimbabwean across Zimbabwe, we are working with Norton's only community newspaper to document this booming town — its people and its perspectives.