Charlene Makaza died in 2007.
This month’s episode of Herald podast A Moment In Crime tells the sad story of the death of Christchurch schoolgirl Charlene Makaza.
It also traverses her uncle George Gwaze’s two trials for her sexual assault and murder.
He was found not guilty on all charges - twice - making New Zealand legal history.
The episode refers to child sexual abuse, violence and has graphic court details and is intended for a mature audience.
Charlene was rushed to hospital in a terrible state in January 2007 and died after her little body effectively shut down due to massive infection - doctors and experts were unable to do anything to save her.
After she died, Charlene’s family - who had moved to New Zealand from Zimbabwe for a better life - were scrutinised by police and the public.
George Gwaze was then charged with sexually violating and suffocating Charlene to death.
He maintained his innocence and after a trial - where the Crown argued murder and the defence argued death by HIV-related symptoms - was found not guilty by a jury.
In an unprecedented move, the Crown appealed the acquittal to New Zealand’s highest court and won. A retrial was ordered.
At the second trial, more experts were brought in to speak on HIV and Charlene’s state when she was taken to hospital.
Again, the jury acquitted George Gwaze.
The vet created judicial history facing the same charges at two trials and being acquitted by a jury both times.
This episode of A Moment In Crime covers Charlene’s death, the sad aftermath and the trials.
The evidence about the child’s physical state presented at trial was graphic and awful.
While much of it was published in court coverage at the time and a book by expert doctor Felicity Goodyear-Smith afterwards, the episode does not contain the full details.
You can find more on the specifics of the forensic evidence on nzherald.co.nz.
If the content raises any issues for you - please see below for a list of help and crisis agencies.
Episodes of A Moment In Crime are usually released monthly, and so far, Leask has covered more than 50 cases including the murders of Grace Millane, Scott Guy, Austin Hemmings, Carmen Thomas, Karen Aim; the deaths of the Kahui Twins, the Edgeware Road murders, the Christchurch House of Horrors and the massacres at Raurimu and Aramoana.
Last year a three-part special covered the case of rich lister and philanthropist James Wallace who was convicted of sexually assaulting three men and was jailed and had his knighthood stripped from him as a result.
A Moment In Crime has topped the overall and true crime charts on numerous occasions and has listeners in more than 80 countries.
The podcast won a silver award in the true crime category at the inaugural New Zealand Podcast Awards in 2021.
It was also nominated in 2022.
If you have a crime or case you would like to hear more about, email anna.leask@nzme.co.nz.
You can listen to all three episodes and the back catalogue of A Moment in Crime on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Anna Leask is a Christchurch-based reporter who covers national crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for 18 years. She writes, hosts and produces the award-winning podcast A Moment In Crime, released monthly on nzherald.co.nz
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