George Francis Lovell versus The State

HH 430-13

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Case Details

Court

Harare High Court

Date

21 November 2013

Citation

HH 430-13

Neutral Citation

[2013] ZWHH 430

Outcome

unknown

Case Type

Bail Application

Bench

Presiding

Dube J

Full Bench

Dube J

Areas of Law

Criminal LawBail LawEvidence Law

Keywords

BailMurderFlight RiskAdmissionInterference with InvestigationCrow barAsphyxiaFugitive

Key Issues

{"issue_text":"Whether the applicant has demonstrated exceptional circumstances justifying admission to bail under s 117(6)(a) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act.","issue_type":"legal","dispositive":"yes","related_facts":"Flight from justice, failure to produce travel documents, strength of state case"}
{"issue_text":"Whether the applicant poses a flight risk if released on bail.","issue_type":"mixed","dispositive":"yes","related_facts":"Prior flight, use of alias, surrender only after Interpol listing"}
{"issue_text":"Whether the applicant may interfere with witnesses or obstruct justice if released.","issue_type":"factual","dispositive":"yes","related_facts":"Failure to produce documents, relationship with maid and other witnesses"}

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Facts of the Case

Background

The applicant, George Francis Lovell, is accused of murdering a fellow gold dealer on 11 July 2012, after which he allegedly fled the country using an alias and traveling through Zambia, Mozambique, and possibly further. He surrendered in April 2013. The deceased was found dead in his abandoned car with a plastic bag over his head, and the State alleges robbery and murder. The applicant is linked to the crime via witness testimony and his own admissions.

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