Cat causes disruption at Bulawayo High Court session

By Emelda Jinya

A special sitting of the Bulawayo High Court was briefly interrupted after a stray cat wandered into the courtroom and disrupted proceedings.

Witnesses said the brown cat entered the courtroom and repeatedly cried loudly, prompting the presiding judge to temporarily adjourn the session. Efforts by court officials, police officers, prison guards and a caretaker to remove the animal were unsuccessful.

The commotion attracted members of the public, while the cat reportedly moved around the courtroom before taking refuge beneath the judge’s bench.

Court officials later relocated the hearing to another courtroom to allow proceedings to continue.

The incident occurred during the murder trial of 19-year-old Bright Tshuma of Nkulumane, Bulawayo. Following the trial, the court convicted Tshuma of murder and sentenced him to 20 years in prison.

No injuries or major disruptions were reported, although the unusual incident briefly delayed the court session.

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