May 21, 2008

Gwaze family thanks God as not guilty verdicts given

By Anne Clarkson

George Evans Gwaze?s family thanked God in the courtroom as the jury delivered not guilty verdicts in his four-week trial on charges of sexual violation and murder.

Outside the Court House, he was asked about the 10-year-old girl, his niece Charlene Makaza whose sudden death had been the centre of the High Court trial.

?At least now she is happy,? Mr Gwaze told the gathered media.

He said the former Zimbabwean family ? which has behaved with complete dignity throughout the long trial process ? now planned to ?have a big dinner and sing and pray?.

Family members welcomed him with song as he left the building.

The jury accepted the defence contention that the crown had not proved Charlene had been the victim of a sex attack. The defence said she had died of an overwhelming infection arising from her congenital HIV, a condition she had been born with.

Defence counsel Jonathan Eaton had also attacked DNA evidence in detail, to explain how laundering of clothes in the same handwashing process could have transferred DNA from Mr Gwaze?s underwear to that of his niece.

After the trial, Mr Gwaze said: ?Many people couldn?t believe I was charged with such serious charges. The family aways said this was not a crime at all. With Jonathan (Eaton) on my side, I knew I would have a fair trial.?

His wife, Sifiso Gwaze, said: ?I knew my husband was innocent from the word go. We were telling them the truth.?

Mr Eaton said: ?This was an extremely difficult case. There was no crime. It was death by natural causes.?

The judge thanked the jury and told them that the trial had been difficult, with an enormous quantity of evidence that was emotionally draining.